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HENEY    M.  STANLEY. 


AND  OTHER 


THK 

Achievements  of  Stanley 

AFRICAN  EXPLORERS.         //i/ 

Comprising  all  the  late  and  really  great  achievements  won  in  the  exploration  ' 

of  the  vast  unknown  region  of  equatorial  Africa ;  chief  among  which  are  the    <~J^ 
finding  of  the  lost  Livingstone  by  Stanley,  the  explorations  of  the  great    ' —    '^  t 
lakes,  the  wonderful  experiences  of  Sir  Samuel  W.  Baker,  in  his  re- 
markable expedition,  with  a  small  army,  under  royal  authority,  to  the 
Central  Lake  Region  by  way  of  the  Nile  ;  the  discoveries  of  Lieut. 
Cameron  in  his  memorable  overland  journey  across  the  entire 
continent  from  east  to  west ;  and  the  crowning  triumph  of  all, 
won  by  the  daring  and  intrepid  Stanley,  in  facing  a  thousand 
perils    by    savages,     cataracts,    disease,    wild   beasts   and 
starvation,   but   by    an    almost    superhuman    heroism, 
forcing  his  way  down  the  dark  river  2500  miles,  and 
solving    the    great    mystery    by    proving    Living- 
stone's Lualaba  verily  the  headwaters  of  the  mighty 

C  O  NG^O. 

And  thus  opening  a  grand  highway  from 

the  west  coast  to  the  heart  and  treasures 

of  one    of    the    most     populous   and 

productive  continents  of  the  globe. 

The  story  of  these  wonderful  adventures  and  brilliant  achievements  from 
first  to  last  is  fully  set  forth.      The  whole  having  been  carefully  prepared. 

By  Hon.  J.  T.  HEADLEY, 

AtUfior  of  "Napoleon  and  his  Marshals"  "  Washington  and  his  Oenerals,"  "Sherman 

and  his  Campaigns,"  "  Farragut  and  our  Naval  Commanders,"  "Sacred 

Mountains,"    "Life  of   Oenei-al    Grant,"    etc.,  etc. 

SOLD     ONLY    BY     SUBSCRIPTION. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

HUBBARD    BROS.,   Philadelphia,   Pa.  ;    Springfield,   Mass.  ; 

Chicaoo,  III.  ;  Cincinnati,  Ohio  :   N.  D.  THOMPSOX  &  CO.,  St.  Louis, 

Mo. :    A.  L.  BANCROFT  <fe  CO.,  San  Fkancisco,  Cal. 

1878. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1878,  by 

HUBBARD    BROTHERS, 

In  tlie  Office  of  ttie  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


INTRODUCTION. 


All  explorations  in  Africa  in  former  years  were  made 
by  travelers  simply  to  gratify  curiosity  or  from  a  desire  to 
penetrate  beyond  lines  reached  by  other  men.  All  the  re- 
sults they  desired  or  expected  to  achieve  were  amusement 
and  fame.  But  in  later  years  they  have  assumed  an  en- 
tirely different  aspect.  From  Livingstone,  who  first  began 
to  open  up  the  "  dark  continent,"  to  Cameron  and  Stanley, 
who  pierced  its  very  heart,  all  the  explorations  have  tended 
to  one  great  end — the  civilization  and  Christianization  of 
the  vast  population  that  inhabits  it.  No  matter  what  the 
ruling  motives  may  have  been  in  each — whether,  as  in 
Livingstone,  to  introduce  Christianity ;  or,  in  Baker,  to  put 
a  stop  to  the  slave  trade ;  or,  in  Stanley,  to  unlock  the  mys- 
tery of  ages — the  tendency  has  been  the  same :  to  bring 
Africa  into  the  family  of  continents  instead  of  being  the 
earth's  "  pariah ;"  to  throw  light  on  this  black  spot  of  our 
planet,  and  make  those  who  inhabit  it  practically  and 
morally  what  they  are  really — a  portion  of  the  human 
race. 

The  men  who  have  contributed  most  to  this  great  end 
are  those  whose  explorations  are  traced  in  this  volume. 
As  in  all  books  of  travel  there  is  much  that  is  merely  per- 
sonal, and  a  great  deal,  though  necessary  to  accurate  geog- 
raphy and  natural  science,  yet  is  of  no  interest  to  the  ordi- 
nary reader,  one  is  able  to  curtail  them  without  in  any  way 
lessening  their  intrinsic  value.  So,  also,  the  incidents  and 
adventures  of  any  special  interest  may  be  grouped  together 
without  all  those  minute  details  that  go  to  make  up  a  daily 
journal.     In  fact,  the  great  drawback  to  the  interest  one 


VI  INTRODUCTION. 

takes  in  a  book  of  travsls,  is,  those  tedious  details  that  go 
so  far  toward  making  it  up.  What  the  traveler  thinks 
worthy  of  recording,  is  not  always  what  the  reader  deems 
worthy  of  perusal.  There  are  also  meteorological  observa- 
tions, geological  theories,  dissertations  on  language  and 
ethnological  questions  and  statistics,  that  may  be  more  or 
less  valuable,  and  yet  possess  little  interest  to  the  general 
reader.  All  these  may  be  left  out  or  results  alone  given, 
without  not  only  not  injuring  the  book,  but  really  adding 
to  its  interest. 

We  have  acted  on  this  theory  in  giving  in  one  volume 
the  contents  of  seven.  In  doing  this,  we  have  endeavored 
to  leave  out  nothing  of  real  value  to  the  general  reader, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  to  make  the  narrative,  by  being  more 
consecutive  and  direct,  more  interesting.  The  truth  is,  the 
trouble  is  not  to  make  a  large  book  of  travels,  but  a  com- 
pact, racy  and  readable  one.  The  tendency  always  is  to 
expand  too  much — to  spread  a  little  matter  over  a  large 
space.  The  works  of  the  travelers  mentioned  in  this  volume 
cover  different  ground,  and  hence  each  one  possesses  an 
interest  peculiar  to  itself,  while  all  tend  to  the  same  end. 
A  person,  therefore,  who  reads  the  narrative  of  only  one, 
gets  but  a  partial  idea  of  what  has  been  going  on  in  Africa 
for  the  last  few  years.  It  is  desirable  to  know  all,  and  yet 
few  can  buy  all  the  expensive  books  of  the  various  travelers. 
We  have  in  this  work  endeavored  to  meet  that  want,  so  that 
one,  at  a  moderate  expense,  can  acquaint  himself  with  all 
that  has  been  lately  achieved  in  Africa,  as  well  as  obtain 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  habits  and  customs  of  the 
various  people  and  tribes  that  inhabit  that  continent. 

Acknowledgment  is  due  and  is  hereby  tendered  to  Messrs. 
Scribner  &  Co.  for  their  kind  permission  to  draw  from 
Mr.  Stanley's  first  volume,  "  How  I  Found  Livingstone," 
in  the  preparation  of  this  work. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 


PAGE. 

How  republican  institutions  develop  character — Webster,  Clay,  Lincoln, 
Grant  and  Stanley — The  latter  a  native  of  Wales — Educated  in  a  poor-house 
— Becomes  a  teacher — Ships  as  a  cabin-boy  to  New  Orleans — Adopted  by  a 
merchant  and  takes  his  name — Lives  in  the  Arkansas  forest — Given  up  as 
dead  by  his  adopted  father — Returns  on  board  a  Mississippi  flat-boat — ■ 
Death  of  his  father  without  making  a  will — Life  with  the  miners  and  In- 
dians— Enters  the  Confederate  army — Is  taken  prisoner — Enlists  in  the 
United  States  navy — Goes  to  join  the  Cretans  to  fight  against  Turkey-^ 
Robbed  by  brigands — Travels — Visits  his  native  place — Gives  the  children 
of  the  poor-house  a  dinner — Makes  an  address — Herald  correspondent  in 
the  war  between  England  and  Abyssinia — Beats  the  governmental  mes- 
senger— Sent  to  Spain  as  war  correspondent — Receives  a  startling  telegram 
from  Mr.  Bennett  to  come  to  Paris — Hasty  departure — AiTectionate  part- 
ing with  children — Singular  interview  with  Mr.  Bennett — Accepts  the 
leadership  of  an  expedition  to  find  Livingstone — His  peculiar  fitness  for 
the  undertaking — His  remarkable  qualities  as  exhibited  in  this  and  in  his 
last  march  across  Africa 19 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  Dark  Continent" — Description  of  it — Difficulties  of  exploring  it — 
Hatred  of  white  men — The  first  real  encroachment  made  by  a  missionary 
— Description  of  the  portion  to  be  explored — Its  articles  of  commerce — Its 
future  destiny 42 


CHAPTER  III. 

Outlines  of  Livingstone's  explorations  during  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years 
— First  exploration — Crosses  the  continent  from  west  to  east — His  second 
expedition — The  last — His  supposed  death — Sympathy  for  him — IndifTer- 
ence  of  the  British  Government  to  his  fate — Bennett's  bold  resolution  to 
send  Stanley  after  him 48 

7 


8  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

PAGE. 

Stanley's  search  for  Livingstone — Lands  at  Zanzibar — Organizes  his  expedi- 
tion— The  start — Stanley's  feelings — The  march — Its  difficulties — Men 
sick — Delays — Meeting  with  a  chief — Dialogue  on  the  burial  of  a  horse — 
Loss  of  his  bay  horse — Sickness  and  desertion — Terrible  traveling — ^A 
hospitable  chief — A  gang  of  slaves — African  belles — A  ludicrous  spectacle 
— A  queer  superstition — Punishment  of  a  deserter — A  ludicrous  contrast — 
A  beautiful  country — News  from  Livingstone — A  walled  town — Stanley 
attacked  with  fever 55 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  rainy  season  sets  in — Disgusting  insects — The  cook  caught  stealing — 
His  punishment  and  flight — The  march — Men  dispatched  after  the  missing 
cook — Their  harsh  treatment  by  the  sultana  of  the  walled  town — A  hard 
march — Crossing  the  Makata  river — The  rainy  season  ended — Five  miles 
of  wading — An  enchanting  prospect — Reaches  his  third  caravan,  and  finds 
it  demoralized — Shaw,  its  leader,  a  drunken  spendthrift — Delays  the 
march — Stanley's  dispatch  to  him — Lake,  Ugombo — Scene  between  Stan- 
ley and  Shaw  at  breakfast,  the  latter  knocked  down — Attempt  to  murder 
Stanley — Good  advice  of  an  Arab  sheikh — A  feast — Farquhar  left  be- 
hind      70 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Three  of  his  caravans  meet. — A  waterless  desert  traversed — Stanley  down 
with  the  fever — A  land  of  plenty  and  of  extortion — A  populous  district — 
A  modern  Hercules — An  African  village — Stanley  curbs  his  temper  for 
economy's  sake — A  good  sultan — News  from  one  of  his  caravans — Curious 
natives — Flogged  by  Stanley  into  proper  behavior — Salt  plains — Stanley 
stops  to  doctor  himself — A  curious  visit  from  a  chief — A  noble  African 
tribe — A  mob — Quarrel  over  the  route  to  be  taken — Settled  by  Stanley — 
A  merry  march — Condensation  of  Stanley's  account  of  the  character  of 
the  country  and  the  tribes  of  Central  Africa 90 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Reception  in  Unyanyembe — His  house — Reports  of  the  Chiefs  of  his  caravans 
— A  feast — Luxurious  living  of  the  Arabs — Arab  country — War  against 
Mirambo,  in  which  Stanley  becomes  an  ally — Is  taken  sick — Bombay 
thrashed — Stanley  joins  the  Arab  army — Capture  of  Mirambo's  strong- 
hold— Villages    laid    waste — Mirambo's    revenge — Arabs    defeated   and 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  V 

PAGE. 

Stanley  left  alone — Is  sick — Final  departure — His  indomitable  will 
and  courage — A  touching  extract  form  his  journal — Deserters — Shaw,  the 
last  white  man,  left  behind — Corpses  on  the  road — Mollifies  a  sullen  chief 
— Strong  medicine — A  ludicrous  scene — The  paradise  of  hunters — A  right 
royal  hunt 118 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A  beautiful  picture — A  mutiny — Narrow  escape  of  Stanley — Saved  by  his 
prompt  courage — Swift  punishment  of  the  leaders  of  the  mutiny — Exciting 
news  from  Ujiji — Dif5culties  in  the  way — Resolves  to  go  round  the  next 
village — Stealthy  marching — A  new  danger — Vain  attempt  to  stop  a 
woman's  screaming — Rapid  marching — Stanley  startled  by  the  sound  of 
waves  bursting  in  rocky  caverns — An  unexpected  danger — Narrow  escape 
— The  end  approaches — Hurrah 134 


CHAPTER  IX. 

View  of  the  Tanganika — First  sight  of  Ujiji — The  American  Flag — Living- 
stone's servants — Dr.  Livingstone,  I  presume — The  meeting — Livingstone's 
letter  bag — A  budget  of  news — Bringing  new  life — The  cook's  excitement 
— Livingstone's  deplorable  condition — The  dream  realized 143 


CHAPTER  X. 
Best  at  Ujija — Stanley's  love  for  Livingstone  the  best  eulogium  on  his  own 
character — The  night — The  morning  interview — Life  with  Livingstone — 
Survey  the  Tanganika  together — Livingstone  accompanies  Stanley  to 
Unyanyembe — The  long  march — Life  in  the  place — Preparations  for 
parting — The  last  breakfast — The  last  sad  farewell— Stanley's  homeward 
march — Its  perils — Inundations — Makata  Swamp — Terrible  marching — 
Stanley  sends  off  for  relief — Its  arrival — Bagomayo  reached  at  last — 
Noisy  entrance — Stanley's  joy — It  is  suddenly  dashed — Cruel  conduct  of 
the  press — Startfor  home 160 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  Expedition  of  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  to  suppress  the  slave  trade — Sir 
Samuel  W.  Baker  placed  at  the  head  of  it — Extent  of  the  slave  trade — 
outfit  of  the  expedition — Preparations  on  a  grand  scale — The  army — The 
rendezvous  at  Khartoum — Failure  on  the  part  of  the  Khedive — The  expe- 
dition starts — Obstacles  met — Cutting  channels  for  the  fleet — Slow,  toil- 
some work — A  hippopotamus  charges  the  vessel — Men  become  sick — Baker 
shoots  a  hippopotamus — A  crocodile  killed — The  expedition  permanently 
stopped — Discouragements 174 


10  TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XII. 

PAGE. 

Baker's  heroic  wife—A  slaver  caught— A  sickening  spectacle— Freedom- 
Description  of  the  camp — A  cargo  of  slaves  discovered — Slaves  freed — 
Wholesale  matrimony — Exploring  the  "White  Nile — A  new  start— A  new 
lake— The  White  Nile  reached  at  last— A  fierce  night  attack  by  a  hippo- 
potamus— A  thrilling  scene — Gondokoro  at  last  reached 193 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  country  formally  taken  possession  of — War  at  last — A  night  attack  on  a 
native  village — Disaffection  in  the  arniy — Attacked  by  crocodiles — An  old 
man-eater  killed — A  campaign  against  the  enemy — The  army  propose  to 
return  home — Baker  obtains  corn  and  restores  subordination — The  army 
greatly  reduced — A  fight — Target  shooting  at  men 215 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Vessels  leave  for  Khartoum  with  the  invalids — Abdullah's  villainy — Explor- 
ing the  White  Nile— Meeting  a  friendly  tribe — Interview  with  the  Sheikl 
Sorcery  and  Talismans — Magic — An  elephant  hunt — Its  moral  efi'ects — 
Scramble  for  the  flesh — The  tribes  seek  peace — Elephants  enter  the  fort — 
A  wild  scene — Elephants  gathering  fruit — An  adventure  with  a  hippo- 
potamus— The  country  at  peace — Baker  resolves  to  start  south 235 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  determination  to  advance — A  desperate  position — Soldiers  draw  the 
carts  to  Lahore — A  beautiful  country — The  future  capital  of  Africa — 
Reaches  Fatiko — power  of  music  over  the  natives — Grotesque  dancing  of 
naked  women — Starts  for  Unyoro — Beautiful  country  depopulated — Pro- 
claims peace — Livingstone 253 


CHAPTER  XVL 

The  start — Exodus  of  the  white  ants — A  great  luxury — A  beautiful  country 
— Masindi — King  Abba  Rega — His  walk  and  appearance — The  interview 
— Buffoons — Queer  result  of  a  lecture  on  the  slave  trade — A  station  com- 
menced—  Planting  vegetables  —  The  king's  visit — Magnetic  battery — 
Photographs — A  curious  interview — Formal  annexation  of  the  country — 
Sends  off  a  part  of  his  force — Commerce  established — Vegetables  planted 
— Dark  omens — A  drunken  king — Asks  after  Livingstone — A  fort  built...  265 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  11 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

TACE. 

The  troops  poisoned — A  sudden  attack — The  town  set  on  fire — A  sad  spec- 
tacle—  Baker  discouraged — A  perilous  position — Fears  of  Abdullah — 
Hypocrisy  of  Abba  Rega  —  Presents  pass  between  him  and  Baker — 
Treachery — A  narrow  escape — Baker's  quarters  set  on  fire — A  second 
attack — The  neighboring  villages  set  on  fire — Forethought  of  Baker's  wife 
— Preparations  to  start  for  Rionga 275 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

The  start — The  station  fired — The  march — The  country  aroused — An  ambus- 
cade— Howarte  speared — Second  day's  march — A  sharp  fight — Stripped 
for  the  race — Constant  fighting — Eating  the  enemy's  liver — Foweera  at 
last  reached — Interview  with  the  king — His  appearance — Baker  offers  to 
make  him  ruler  over  the  territory  of  Abba  Rega — A  treaty  made — Sealed 
by  drinking  each  others'  blood — Baker  resolves  to  return  to  Fatiko^ 
Arrival  of  messengers  with  bad  naws — The  return — The  wife  compelled  to 
walk — Arrival  at  Fatiko — Treachery — The  attack — Flight  and  pursuit — 
The  victory — Baker  turns  surgeon 286 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Arrival  of  Cannibals — Children  devoured — Small-pox  disperses  them — A 
grand  hunt — The  mode  of  conducting  it  by  nets  and  fire — The  result — 
Life  at  Fatiko — The  second  hunt — Killing  a  lion — A  woman's  rights 
meeting — A  happy  community,  in  which  neither  religious  dagmas  or  law 
cases  enter — News  from  Livingstone — King  Mtesa — Arrival  of  reinforce- 
ments— Bad  military  conduct — Baker  writes  out  a  set  of  rules  for  Abdullah 
and  starts  for  home — Releases  captive  women  and  children — An  expression 
of  gratitude  not  asked  for — Kissed  by  a  naked  beauty — Concluding.remarks 
— A  missionary's  outfit — Official  report — A  handsome  tribute  to  his  wife 
— Africa's  future 302 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Cameron's  expedition — Its  origin — Change  of  leaders — Difficulties  at  the 
outset — Start — A  tall  and  manly  race — Naked  savages — News  from  Liv- 
ingstone— A  methuselah — The  country  improved — Unyanyembe  reached 
— Occupies  Stanley's  house — A  slave  auction — Sickness  and  discourage- 
ments— A  stunning  blow — Livingstone  dead  —  Death  of  Dillon  —  Des- 
pondent thoughts — A  desperate  resolve — Crossing  the  Lugungwa — Ujiji...  322 


12  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

PAGR 

Cameron  pushes  on  to  the  Lualaba,  and  resolves  to  follow  it  to  the  sea — It 
has  no  connection  with  the  Nile  system — No  canoes  to  be  had — Tipo-Tipo 
— Handsome  women — Inquisitiveness  of  the  women — Stopped  by  a  ruse — 
Interview  with  King  Kasongo — Resolves  to  visit  some  curious  lakes — At- 
tacked by  the  natives — Contracts  with  a  slave-trader  to  take  him  to  the 
coast — Explorations  of  lakes — Houses  built  in  the  lakes — Description  of 
Kasongo  and  his  character  and  habits — His  harem— rThe  rules  that  govern 
it — The  religion  of  the  country — A  curious  bridal  ceremony — Floating 
islands — The  Congo  route  abandoned 346 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  departure — Character  of  the  caravan — Horible  ceremonies  at  the  burial 
of  a  chief  of  Urua — Start  of  th#  caravan — Its  bad  conduct — Joined  by  a 
slave-gang — Its  sorrowful  appearance — The  camps  of  the  caravan — Dreary 
marching — Appearance  of  the  country — Naked  women  dressing  their  hair 
elaborately — Arrival  at  Alvez  village — The  luxury  of  coffee,  onions  and 
Boap — Reduced  state  of  Cameron's  men — Reaches  a  Portuguese  trader's 
house — A  festival — A  lascivious  dance — Beautiful  scenery — Interview 
with  King  Kongo — Cameron's  sufferings  begin — Desperate  condition — A 
forced  march  to  the  sea  with  a  few  men — First  sight  of  the  sea — His  wel- 
come— His  dangerous  sickness — Visit  to  the  consul  at  Loanda — Men  sent 
to  Zanzibar — His  return  home — The  slave  trade 359 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Stanley  thinks  of  Africa  and  Livingstone's  unfinished  work — Determines  to 
complete  it — Takes  a  boat  of  his  own  along — At  Zanzibar  again — Starts 
for  the  interior — Takes  a  new  route — The  country  passed  through — De- 
serted by  his  guides — Loses  the  path — A  painful  march — Starvation  and 
death — A  gloomy  prospect — Two  young  lions  killed  and  made  into  broth 
— A  trunk  used  for  a  kettle — A  painful  spectacle — Men  sent  off  for  food  at 
last  return — Joy  of  the  camp — The  march — A  new  type  of  natives — Naked 
beauty — Sickness  and  death — Death  of  Edward  Pocoke — His  burial — 
Stanley's  letter  to  his  father — A  m.an  murdered — Itwru  reached — A  popu- 
lous plain — Intercourse  with  the  people — A  magic  doctor 377 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

The  camp — View  from  it — Hostile  demonstration — A  three  days'  fight — A 
massacre — A  modern  Sodom — A  terrible  vengeance — Twenty-one  of  the 
expedition  killed — A  complete  ruin — Provisions  obtained — The  march  re- 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTT.  13 

PAGE* 

Bumed — Only  a  hundred  and  ninety-four  men  left  out  of  three  hundred 
with  which  he  started — A  gloomy  out-look — Mistaken  for  Miramho — The 
Nyanza  reached  at  last — A  description  of  the  country  he  had  passed 
through 392 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Mustering  hia  force — The  death  roll — Selecting  a  crew  of  eleven  men,  he 
sets  sail — Leaves  the  camp  in  charge  of  Pocoke  and  Barker — "Speke'a 
Bay  " — Coasting  northward — Shimeeyu  River — A  large  island — Descrip- 
tion of  the  shores  and  people — Strange  stories  told  him — A  lonely  channel 
— Superstition  of  the  natives — ''  Bridge  Island '' — Under  the  equator — 
Stanley  looked  upon  as  a  being  from  another  world — Fleeing  from  hippo- 
potami— Treachery — A  narrow  escape — Three  quarters  of  the  lake  tho- 
roughly explored 404 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Stanley  the  first  white  man  that  ever  sailed  round  the  Victoria  Nyanza 
— Establishes  the  southern  source  of  the  Nile — Treachery  of  the  natives — 
Stanley's  revenge — A  hostile  fleet  scattered  by  him — Three  men  killed — 
Two  singular  islands — The  Ripon  Falls — The  Nile — Curious  inlets — 
— Mtesa,  king  of  Uganda — His  reception  of  Stanley — Imposing  ceremonies 
— A  noble  native  monarch — His  capital — His  army  and  large  territory — 
Half  converted  to  Christianity  by  Stanley — Anxious  to  have  missionaries 
sent  to  his  country — Stanley's  mode  of  sending  them,  and  the  kind  of  men 
they  should  be — A  mission  established  and  broken  up — False  statements 
in  the  papers  about  it  corrected 413 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Stanley  continues  his  explorations — Drunken  natives — A  suspicious  recep- 
tion— A  peaceful  night — A  wild  waking  up — A  startling  spectacle — Hur- 
ried departure — Magassa's  fleet — Lack  of  food — A  fearful  storm — Bum- 
bireh  Island — A  bright  prospect — Stanley  entrapped — In  deadly  peril — • 
A  crowd  of  demons — A  fearful  night — Prompt  action — Barely  saved — 
Swift  and  terrible  revenge — A  frightful  storm — Refuge  Island — A  grateful 
camp — Provision  secured — Another  storm— A  staunch  boat — Steering  for 
camp — His  joyful  greeting — Excitement  of  the  men — The  secret  of  the 
men's  affection  for  him 424 


14  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

PAGE 

The  work  accomplished — Feelings  of  satisfaction — Pocoke's  report — A  nar- 
row escape  for  the  expedition — Death  of  Barker — Sweet  repose — Pleasant 
memories — Future  anticipations — Waiting  for  Magassa — Resolves  to  re- 
turn to  Uganda  by  land — Is  prevented — Sends  to  the  king  of  Ukerewe — 
His  request  granted — Visits  him — The  interview — Royal  hospitality — A 
stratagem — Stanley  starts  for  Uganda — A  new  camp — Return  to  the  old 
one — Conspirators  foiled — Refuge  Island 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
A  rest — Resolves  to  punish  the  Bumbireh — Sets  sail — Message  to  the  people 
of  Bumbireh — Imprisons  the  king  of  Iroba — The  king  of  Bumbireh  in 
chains — Arrival  of  Mtesa's  canoes — Hostility  of  the  natives — Moves  on 
Bumbireh — The  savages  expecting  him — Plan  of  battle — The  battle — 
Killed  and  wounded — Rejoicing  over  the  victory — The  natives  completely 
subdued — Stanley  gives  them  a  lecture — Effect  of  the  victory  on  the 
neighboring  tribes — His  losses — Prepares  to  start  for  the  Albert  Nyanza 
— Size  of  the  Victoria  Nyanza — Muta  Nzinge — Is  it  and  the  Albert  one 
lake — Stanley's  journal  and  map  do  not  agree — Mtesa  at  war — Stanley 
aid9  him — Uganda — Abba  Rega  once  more — Baker's  and  Stanley's  journal 
agree — Stanley  asks  for  fifty  thousand  men — Mtesa  gives  him  two  thousand  452 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
Force  of  the  expedition — Its  start — First  march — Through  hostile  Unyoro — 
The  encampment — Mount  Gambaragara — Its  summit  occupied  by  white 
people — Live  on  a  rock  in  the  middle  of  a  lake — Their  origin — Other 
strange  tribes — The  march — Frightened  people — The  lake  reached  with- 
out opposition — A  miserable  failure — The  reason  of  it — Stanley's  feelings 
— The  return — Report  to  Mtesa — His  wrath — Liberal  offers — Wonders  of 
the  country — A  generous,  peaceful  king — Lake  Windomere — Source  of  the 
Nile — Absurd  theories — The  hot  springs  of  Mtagata 462 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 
Back  to  Ujiji — Pleasant  associations — The  mystery  of  Tanganika — No  outlet 
— Cameron's  expedition — Thinks  he  discovers  the  outlet — Doubts  of  Stan- 
ley— The  lalce  constantly  rising — Stanley  starts  to  examine  for  himself — 
Bags  two  zebras — A  whole  village  massacred — Reaches  Cameron's  outlet 
— Explores  it  thoroughly — Declares  Cameron  to  be  mistaken — The  future 
outlet— Livingstone's  influence — The  small-pox  in  camp — Desertion  of  his 
men — Prompt  measures — Crosses  the  Tanganika — More  desertions — People 
of  Manyema — Singular  customs 484 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
Livingstone  at  Nyangwe — Remembrance  of  him  by  the  natives — "  The  good 
man  " — His  troubles  here  awakens  Stanley's  pity — A  magnificent  country 
-—Glowing  description  of  it— Ruined  by  slavery— The  slave  trade— Its 
character— Ebony  skeletons— Horrible  sights— The  traders— Mode  of  cap- 
ture—Faithlessness of  the  Prince  of  Zanzibar — Extracts  from  Stanley's 
journal— A  depopulated  country— The  way  to  stop  the  traffic 493 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS.  15 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

PAGE. 

Stanley  meets  Tipo-tipo,  the  friend  of  Cameron — Learns  all  abont  Cameron's 
movements — Stanley  warned  not  to  go  on — Fearful  stories — Contracts 
with  Tipo-tipo  to  escort  him  sixty  camps — Self-reliance  of  Stanley — 
Women  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  advancing — Nyangwe — Its  market — A 
lively  scene — The  two  chiefs — A  large  harem — The  original  inhabitants — 
Strength  of  the  expedition 502 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 
The  great  march  begins — Gloomy  prospects — March  through  a  dense  forest — 
Axes  used  to  clear  the  way — A  village  in  the  forest — Superiority  of 
the  iahabitants — The  men  disheartened — Slow  marching — Discontent — 
Difficulties  increase — Tipo-tipo  wishes  to  be  released  from  his  engagement 
— People  that  smelt  iron-ore — A  row  of  skulls  as  an  ornament  for  the 
village — Hunting  sokos — The  cannibals — Naked  women — The  Lualaba 
reached — Not  to  be  left  again — The  natives  crossing  the  river 512 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
Congo  changed  to  Livingstone — Frightened  natives— The  march — Deserted 
villages — The  land  party  lost — Stanley's  anxiety — A  dash  on  the  natives, 
one  man  killed — Uledi  dispatched  after  the  missing  party — The  lost  found 
• — The  march — A  floating  hospital — Passing  rapids— Tipo-tipo  wishes  to 
turn  back — A  queer  village — Increasing  sickness — The  dead  every  day 
thrown  into  the  river — A  fight — Marching  on — A  desperate  fight  of  two 
days — A  successful  stratagem — Tipo-tipo  resolves  to  leave — Stanley's 
speech  to  his  men — Christmas  day — A  frolic — A  boat  race — The  parties 
separate — A  touching  farewell — A  sad  day — Stanley  tries  to  arouse  the 
men 522 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
A  common  fate  binding  all — "  "We  want  to  eat  you" — The  home  of  the  hip- 
popotamus— The  persuasive  eloquence  of  the  cannibal  prisoners — A  novel 
sensation — A  peaceful  tribe — The  cannibals  prevent  a  fight — A  sudden 
attack — A  successful  stratagem — Another  fight — A  hard  carry  around  the 
falls — An  advanced  tribe — River  full  of  islands — Magnificent  scenery — 
Stanley's  expedition — A  grand  barbecue — A  necessary  fight — Night-work 
— Seventy-eight  hours'  incessant  toil — Passing  the  rapids — A  lost  man — 
A  thrilling  spectacle — Great  daring — Lost  men — A  fearful  night — Rescue 
in  the  morning — Brave  Uledi — A  carry  round  the  falls — A  brilliant  ma- 
noeuvre— In  a  net — Man  meat — Another  fight — The  Congo  starts  for  the 
sea — Another  fight — A  deserted  village — Around  the  falls — Muskets — A 
fight — Home  of  the  hippopotami — A  new  war-cry — Astonishment  of  the 
natives  at  seeing  a  white  man — More  enemies — Stanley's  speech — A  fight — 
Three  hundred  and  fifteen  muskets  against  forty-four — Starving — Friendly 
savages — Abundant  provisions — Death  and  burial  of  a  chieftain's  wife — 
A  friendly  tribe — Beautiful  women — Serpents  in  camp — The  last  and 
fiercest  fight — Stanley  Pool — Friendly  chiefs — Curious  interview  with 
King  Itsi — A  general  peace 531 


16  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

PAGE. 

Tribal  differences — What  is  the  cause  of  them — The  Congo  tribes — The  can- 
nibals left  behind — Change  of  scenery — Livingstone  Falls — A  wild  stretch 
of  water — Carrying  boats  over  land — Exhausting,  slow  work — A  canoe 
lost — Stanley  falls  thirty  feet — Rocky  Falls — A  fearful  sight — Kalulu 
over  the  falls — A  canoe  shoots  the  Kalulu  Falls  in  safety — A  third  canoe 
shoots  the  falls  and  disappears — Soudi's  strange  story — More  rapids — 
Difficulties  increase — Narrow  escape  of  Stanley — Joy  at  his  deliverance — 
Four  cataracts  in  sight — Strange  music — Less  than  a  mile  a  day — The 
big  cataract — Scaling  a  mountain  one  thousand  feet  high — Astonishment 
of  the  natives 554 

CHAPTER  XXXVIIL 
Last  instructions — A  magnificent  forest — Stanley  thinks  of  dug-outs  at  home 
— Resolves  to  build  canoes — The  first  tree  felled — Two  canoes  finished — 
The  boats  and  expedition  moving  overland — Arabs  stealing — Redeeming 
a  captive  held  for  theft — Canoes  over  the  mountain — Rest — Third  canoe 
built — Dispiriting  news — Native  superstition — A  narrow  escape — Launch- 
ing of  the  third  canoe — Rains — Rise  of  the  river — Storms — The  expedition 
moves  over  the  mountain — Frank  takes  the  canoes  by  the  river — Mowwa 
Falls — A  terrific  scene — Passing  the  Mowwa  Falls — Uledi  caught  in  theft 
— His  sentence — A  touching  scene — Atonement — Forgiveness — Christian 
principles  in  Heathens — A  strange  superstition — The  natives  demand  that 
Stanley's  note-book  be  burned  up — A  painful  dilemma — A  successful 
stratagem — Shakespeare  burned — Frank's  last  night  with  Stanley 567 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 
Elevated  from  the  place  of  servant  to  that  of  friend — Proposes  to  toss  up  to 
determine  whether  they  shall  follow  the  Lualaba  to  tbe  sea  or  not — Chance 
decides  they  shaU — Pocoke's  shoes  become  worn  out  in  the  forest — Is  made 
lame — Passage  of  the  Mowwa  Falls— Stanley's  peril — Pocoke's  fatal  self- 
will — His  death — The  sight  that  stunned  Stanley — A  gloomy  night  for 
him — Pocoke's  character 577 

CHAPTER  XL. 
Stanley  mourning  for  his  friend — A  mutiny — Sadness  of  Stanley — Return  of 
the  deserters — Boats  carried  over  a  hill — The  chief  carpenter  carried  over 
the  falls — Stanley  runs  the  Mbelo  Falls — Miraculous  escape — Feeling  of 
his  people — The  end  of  the  chasm — One  mile  and  a  quarter  a  day  for  eight 
months — The  Arabs  steal,  and  are  made  prisoners — Arabs  left  in  slavery 
for  stealing — Falls  of  Isingila  reached — Stanley  resolves  to  leave  the  river 
— The  Lady  Alice  abandoned— The  march  for  Boma— Uledi  slaps  a  king 
in  the  face— Stanley  sends  a  letter  to  Boma — The  messengers  depart — He 
moves  on — Meets  an  enemy  who  becomes  a  friend — A  glad  surprise — 
Food  in  abundance — Luxuries  for  Stanley — A  song  of  triumph — Stanley's 
feelings,  as  shown  by  his  letter — Reach  Boma — The  reaction — Stanley 
offered  a  steamer  home — Prefers  to  siand  by  his  Arabs — Reception  at  Cape 
Town — Zanzibar  reached — Joy  of  the  Arabs—  An  affecting  scene — Farewell 
to  Stanley , ^ 587 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Frontispiece — Heket  M.  Stanley. 

Page 
Noted  Explorers 27 

Zanzibar 57 

Natives  putting  off  to  a  Vessel 57 

Landing  a  Crocodile 61 

Moving  Roofs  of  Huts 77 

Doing  Honors  to  the  Queen 77 

Shooting  Hippopotami 81 

PotPourri ,...'. 105. 

African  Warfare Ill 

Dance  in  honor  of  the  Moon Ill 

Human  Sacrifices 115 

Execution  for  Witchcraft 115 

Council  of  War 119 

Hippopotami  Sporting  with  their  Yonng 119 

Saluting  a  Superior 127 

A  King  Traveling 127 

Stalking  the  Sentry .' 129 

Stanley  meeting  Livingstone 149 

Dr.  David  Livingstone 155 

Village  on  Tanganika  Lake 163 

The  Forty  Thieves 179 

Hippopotamus  capsizing  the  Dingy 183 

Hauling  the  Steamer  through  the  midst  of  the  vegetable  obstructions 187 

Crocodile  mobbed  in  the  Sudd 189 

Hippopotamus  kills  the  Blind  Sheikh  in  the  Shillook  Country 201 

Arrival  at  the  Stoppage — The  Baleniceps  Rex 205 

Sandal,  Pipe,  etc 209 

Attack  in  the  Night 213 

Attack  on  the  Rear  Guard 229 

Elephants  in  a  Difficulty 241 

Shaking  down  the  Fruit 249 

Musical  Enthusiasts 263 

17 


18  LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
General  Night  Attack  of  the  Savages 283 

Eeception  of  Rionga 291 

The  Slave- Hunters  Attack  at  Fatiko 297 

Net  Hunting 307 

Driving  the  Prairie  with  Fire 307 

Charge  of  a  Lioness 311 

Map  of  Baker's  Discoveries 317 

Natives'  Weapons 325 

Our  Camp 333 

Temporary  Village  in  which  Dr.  Livingstone's  Body  was  Prepared 337 

Crossing  the  Lugungwa  River 343 

The  Chief 's  Village 347 

Great  Chiefs  Returning  a  Visit 351 

Scene  in  Alvez  Boma 365 

Burial  of  Pocoke 387 

Scene  in  Camp 393 

Reception  by  Mtesa's  Body-Guard,  Prime  Minister  and  Chiefs 417 

An  Unpleasant  Situation 431 

Dash  across  Unyoro 463 

Hot  Springs  of  Mtagata 477 

Setting  out  to  Cross  Lake  Tanganika 491 

Chief's  Home  at  Nyangwe 503 

Nyangwe 503 

Hunting  Sokos 517 

Fighting  our  Way  Round 535 

Death  of  Kalulu 559 

Drowning  of  Pocoke 581 

Scaling  the  Rapids 591 


CHAPTER  I. 

HENRY    M.     STANLEY. 

HOW  EEPrBLICAN  IXSTITUTIONS  DEVELOP  CHARACTER— WEBSTER,  CLAY,  WKCOLN,  GRANl 
AND  STANLEY— THE  LATTER  A  NATIVE  OF  WALES— EDUCATED  IN  A  POOR-HOVSE— BECOMES  A 
TEACHER— SHIPS  AS  A  CABIN-BOY  TO  NEW  ORLEANS— ADOPTED  BY  A  MEFCHANT  AND  TAKES  HIS 
NAME— LIVES  IN  THE  ARKANSAS  FOREST— GIVEN  fP  AS  DEAD  BY  IIIS  ^-.DOPTED  FATHER— RE- 
TURNS ON  BOARD  A  MISSISSIPPI  FLAT-BOAT— DEATH  OF  IIIS  FATHER  WITHOUT  MAKING  A  WILL 
— LIFE  WITH  THE  MINERS  AND  INDIANS — ENTERS  THE  CONFEDERATE  AKMY- IS  TAKEN  PRIS- 
ONER-ENLISTS IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  NAVY— COES  TO  JOIN  THE  CRETANS  TO  FIGHT  AGAINST 
TURKEY— ROBBED  BY  BRIGANDS— TRAVELS— VISITS  HIS  NATIVE  PLACE— GIVES  THE  CHILDREN 
OF  THE  POOR-HOUSE  A  DINNER— MAKES  AN  ADDRESS— HERALD  CORRESPONDENT  IN  THE  WAR 
BETWEEN  ENGLAND  AND  ABYSSINIA— BEATS  THE  GOVERNMENTAL  MESSENGER— SENT  TO  SPAIN 
AS  WAR  CORRESPONDENT — RECEIVES  A  STARTLING  TELEGRAM  FROM  MR.  BENNETT  TO  COME  TO 
PARIS— HASTY  DEPARTURE— AFFECTIONATE  PARTING  WITH  CHILDREN— SINGULAR  INTERVIEW 
WITH  MR.  BENNETT— ACCEPTS  THE  LEADERSHIP  OF  AN  EXPEDITION  TO  FIND  LIVINGSTONE — 
HIS  PECULIAR  FITNESS  FOR  THE  UNDERTAKING — HIS  REMARKABLE  QUALITIES  AS  EXHIBITED 
IN  THIS  AND  IN  HIS  LAST  MARCH  ACROSS  AFRICA. 

STANLEY  is  one  of  those  characters  that  forcibly  illus- 
trate the  effect  of  rej)ublican  institutions  in  developing 
a  strong  man.  Despotism  cannot  fetter  thought — that  is 
free  everywhere — but  it  can  and  does  restrain  its  outwork- 
ing into  practical  action.  The  former  do  not  make  great 
strong  men,  they  allow  those  endowed  by  nature  with 
extraordinary  gifts,  free  scope  for  action.  This  fact  never 
had,  perhaps,  a  more  striking  illustration  than  in  the 
French  Revolution.  The  iron  frame-work  of  despotism 
had  rested  so  long  over  the  heads  of  the  people  that  it  had 
become  rusted  in  its  place,  and  no  individual  force  or 
strength  could  rend  it  asunder.  But  when  the  people,  in 
their  fury,  shattered  it  into  fragments,  there  was  exhibited 
the  marvelous  effects  of  individual  character.  A  lieutenant 
of  artillery  vaulted  to  the  throne  of  France  and  made 

19 


20  EFFECT   OF   REPURLrCAX  INSTITUTIONS. 

marshals  and  dukes  and  kings  of  plebeians.  A  plebeian 
himself,  be  took  to  bis  plebeian  bed  tbe  daughter  of  the 
Csesars.  He  took  base-born  men  and  pitted  them  against 
nobles  of  every  degree,  and  the  plebeians  proved  themselves 
the  better  men.  In  other  words,  he  put  men  against  titles, 
and  the  titles  went  down  before  the  men.  Thus,  no  matter 
how  despotic  he  became,  he  and  his  marshals  and  new- 
made  kings  were  the  most  terrible  democracy  that  could 
be  preached  in  Europe.  The  mighty  changes  that  were 
wrought,  simply  show  what  results  may  be  expected  when 
the  whole  world  shall  be  thus  set  free  and  every  man  be 
allowed  to  strike  his  best  and  strongest  blow.  When  the 
race  is  thus  let  loose  on  the  planet  we  inhabit,  we  shall  see 
the  fulfillment  of  that  prophecy,  "  a  nation  shall  be  born  in 
a  day."  The  same  truth  is  apparent  in  our  own  country, 
though  its  exhibitions  are  not  so  sudden  and  startling. 
Indeed  tliey  could  not  be,  because  this  freedom  of  action 
has  no  restraints  to  break  through,  and  hence  no  violent 
effort  is  required.  Every  man  grows  and  expands  by  degrees 
without  let  or  hindrance.  In  a  despotism,  Webster  would 
probably  have  taught  school  in  a  log  school-house  all  his 
days,  and  the  "mill  boy  of  the  sloshes"  never  made  the  great 
forum  of  a  nation  ring  with  his  words  of  eloquence,  nor 
the  "rail-splitter"  been  the  foremost  man  of  his  time,  nor 
the  tanner-boy  the  president  of  the  republic.  Republican 
institutions  never  made  any  of  those  men,  they  simply 
allowed  them  to  make  themselves.  Stanley  is  the  latest 
and  most  extraordinary  example  of  this.  It  is  folly  to 
point  to  such  men  as  he  as  a  stimulus  to  youthful  ambition, 
to  show  what  any  man  may  become.  Ko  amount  of  study 
or  effort  can  make  such  a  boy  or  man  as  he  was  and  is. 
The  energy,  daring,  self-confidence,  promptness  and  indom- 
itable will  were  born  in  him,  not  acquired.  The  Latin 
proverb,  "Poeta  nasdtur,  non  jii^^  the  poet  is  born,  not 


Stanley's  birthplace  and  eeal  name.  21 

made,  is  not  truer  of  the  poet  than  of  a  character  like  him. 
His  characteristics  may  be  pointed  out  for  the  admiration 
of  others,  his  good  qualities  made  a  lesson  to  teach  youth 
how  perseverance,  and  determination,  and  work  will  elevate 
a  man  whatever  may  be  his  walk  in  life.  A  man  born 
with  a  combination  of  qualities  like  Stanley's,  must  have 
room  given  him  or  he  will  make  room.  He  has  such  a 
surplusage  of  energy  and  will-power  that  it  must  have 
scope  and  field  for  action.  A  despotism  could  not  have 
repressed  him.  He  would  either  have  become  a  wanderer 
or  adventurer  in  strange  lands,  or  he  would  have  headed  a, 
revolution,  vaulted  to  power  or  to  a  scaffold,  as  others  have 
done  before  him. 

But  although  Stanley  developed  his  whole  character 
under  free  institutions,  he  was  not  born  under  them,  being 
a  native  of  Wales.  He  was  born  near  Denbigh,  in  1840. 
His  parents'  name  was  Rowland.  At  three,  he  was  sent  to 
the  poor-house  at  St.  Asaph,  to  get  an  education.  Here 
the  poor,  unpromising  lad  remained  till  he  had  finished 
such  an  education  as  this  institution  could  furnish,  and 
then  sought  employment  as  teacher ;  and  for  a  year  was 
employed  as  such  at  Mold,  Flintshire.  But  now  the  strong 
instincts  of  his  nature  began  to  show  themselves.  He  felt 
that  a  school-teacher's  life,  however  honorable  and  useful, 
could  not  be  his,  and,  with  his  scant  earnings,  shipped  as 
cabin-boy  in  a  ship  bound  for  New  Orleans.  Arriving  in 
safety,  he  began  to  look  about  for  employment.  By  what 
lucky  chance  it  happened  we  do  not  know,  but  he  fell  into 
the  hands  of  a  merchant  named  Stanley,  who  became  so 
attached  to  the  frank,  energetic,  ambitious  yoirth  that  he 
finally  adopted  him  and  gave  him  his  name.  Thus  the 
Welsh  boy  Rowland  became  the  American  youth  Stanley. 
Fortune  had  certainly  smiled  on  him,  and  his  future  seemed 
secure.      As  the   partner    and    eventually   heir   of   his 


22  FORTUNE   DESERTS   HIM, 

benefactor,  as  he  doubtless  would  become,  fortune,  ease  and 
a  luxurious  life  lay  before  him.  But  even  here,  so  pleas- 
antly situated  and  cared  for,  the  same  restless  spirit  that 
has  since  driven  him  over  the  world,  exhibited  itself,  and 
he  wandered  off  into  the  wilds  of  Arkansas,  and  in  his 
lo2:-cabin  on  the  banks  of  the  Wichita  Kiver,  with  the 
pine-trees  moaning  above  him,  he  dwelt  for  a  long  time, 
among  the  strange,  wild  dreams  of  imagination  and  daring 
youth.  His  adopted  father  mourned  him  as  dead,  never 
expecting  to  behold  him  again.  But  he  made  his  way  to 
the  Mississippi,  and  going  on  board  a  flat-boat,  became  the 
companion  of  the  rough  western  characters  to  be  found  on 
these  boats,  and  slowly  floated  down  to  New  Orleans  and 
was  received  by  his  overjoyed  father  as  one  risen  from  the 
dead. 

But  just  here,  fortune,  which  seemed  to  have  had  him  in 
her  special  care,  took  him  another  step  forward  by  apj)a- 
rently  deserting  him.  His  adopted  father  suddenly  died 
without  making  his  will.  His  place  and  prospective  heir- 
shij)  both  disappeared  together,  and  the  curtain  was  let  down 
between  him  and  a  pleasant  successful  future.  Doubt- 
less that  father  intended  to  provide  for  his  adopted  son,  but 
now  all  the  property  went  to  the  natural  legal  heirs,  and  he 
was  once  more  thrown  upon  the  world.  In  the  delirium  of 
an  African  fever,  tossing  in  his  hammock,  far  from  the 
haunts  of  civilization,  there  came  back  to  him  an  episode  of 
his  life  at  this  point.  We  learn  that  impelled  by  his  roving 
disposition  he  wandered  away  among  the  California  miners, 
and  at  last  among  the  Indians,  and  sat  by  their  council  fires. 
He  seemed  destined  to  see  every  phase  of  human  life,  to 
become  acquainted  with  the  roughest  characters,  to  prepare 
him  for  the  wildest  of  all  men,  the  African  savage.  This 
kind  of  life  also  toughened  and  hardened  the  fibre  of  the 
youth,  so  that  he  settled  down  into  the  man  with  a  constitu- 


HIS  MILITARY  SERVICES.  23 

tion  of  iron,  without  which  he  could  not  have  endured  the 
trials  he  has  since  undergone,  and  still  retain  his  health  and 
physical  powers  unworn.  At  this  time  a  new  field  opened 
before  him.  The  civil  war  broke  out,  and  being  a  Southern 
man,  he  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  army.  This  was  a  kind 
of  service  just  adapted  to  his  peculiar  character,  one  in 
which  a  man  with  the  courage,  daring,  energy,  promptness 
and  indomitable  will  that  he  possessed,  was  sure  to  win  fame 
and  promotion.  But  before  he  had  time  to  exhibit  these 
qualities,  fate,  that  seemed  against  him  to  human  eyes, 
again  advanced  him  a  step  toward  future  success  by  causing 
him  to  be  taken  prisoner  by  the  Union  troops.  As  a  prisoner 
he  was  worthless,  and  the  Union  cause  really  having  his 
sympathies,  he  proposed  to  enlist  in  the  Northern  army. 
Whether  the  military  authorities  were  afraid  of  this  sudden 
conversion,  or  not  daring  to  give  too  much  freedom  of 
action  to  one  who  showed  by  his  whole  bearing  and  lan- 
guage, that  there  was  no  undertaking  too  daring  for  him 
to  attempt,  we  are  not  told,  but  they  put  him  where  he 
would  probably  have  little  chance  to  show  what  stuff  he 
was  made  of,  and  he  was  placed  on  the  iron-clad  ship 
Ticonderoga.  It  is  said,  he  was  released  as  prisoner  and 
volunteered  to  enlist  in  the  navy.  Be  that  as  it  may,  though 
totally  unfit  for  service  of  any  kind  on  board  of  a  man-of- 
war,  he  soon  became  acting  ensign.  At  the  close  of  the  war 
he  looked  about  for  some  field  of  active  service,  and  what 
little  war  he  had  seen  seemed  to  fit  his  peculiar  character, 
and  hearing  that  the  Cretans  were  about  to  attempt  to  throw 
off  the  Turkish  yoke,  he  resolved  to  join  them.  He  proceeded 
thither  with  two  other  Americans,  after  having  first  made 
an  engagement  with  the  New  York  Herald,  as  its  corres- 
pondent. Disgusted,  it  is  said,  with  the  insurgent  leaders, 
he  abandoned  his  purpose,  and  having  a  sort  of  roving 
commission  from  Mr.  Bennett,  he  determined  to  travel  in 


24  VISITS    HIS    EIETIIPLACE. 

the  East.  But  lie  and  his  fellow-travelers  were  attacked 
by  Turkish  brigands,  and  robbed  of  all  their  money  and 
clothing.  They  laid  their  complaint  before  Mr.  Morris, 
our  minister  at  Constantinople,  who  in  turn  laid  it  before 
the  Turkish  government.  At  the  same  time  he  advanced 
them  funds  to  supply  their  wants  and  they  departed.  After 
various  journeyings  he  finally  returned  to  England.  Here 
a  strong  desire  seized  him  to  visit  the  place  of  his  nativity 
in  Wales,  the  house  where  he  was  born,  and  the  humble 
dwelling  where  he  received  the  first  rudiments  of  his  edu- 
cation at  St.  Asaph.  One  can  imagine  the  feelings  with 
which  this  bronzed  young  man,  who  had  traveled  so  far 
and  wide,  entered  the  quiet  valley  from  which  he  had 
departed  so  long  ago  to  seek  his  fortune.  It  speaks  well 
for  his  heart,  that  his  sympathies  turned  at  once  toward  the 
poor-house  of  which  he  had  been  an  inmate  in  his  childhood. 
Remembering  that  the  greatest  boon  that  could  have  been 
conferred  at  that  time  on  him  would  have  been  a  good, 
generous  dinner,  he  resolved  to  give  those  poor  children 
one.  One  would  like  to  have  been  present  at  it.  The 
daring  young  adventurer  in  the  presence  of  those  simple, 
wonderstruck  children  would  make  a  good  subject  for  a 
picture.  We  venture  to  say  that  Mr.  Stanley  enjoyed  that 
unobtrusive  meal  in  that  quiet  Welsh  valley  more  than  he 
has  ever  since  enjoyed  a  banquet  with  nobles  and  princes ; 
and  as  the  shadows  of  life  lengthen  he  will  look  back  on  it 
with  more  real  pleasure.  He  addressed  them,  giving  them 
a  familiar  talk,  telling  them  that  he  was  once  one  of  their 
number,  accompanying  it  with  good  advice,  saying  for  their 
encouragement,  and  to  stimulate  them  to  noble  endeavors, 
that  all  he  had  been  in  the  past  and  all  he  hoped  to  be  in  the 
future,  he  should  attribute  to  the  education  he  had  received 
in  that  poor-house. 

This  was  a  real  episode  in  his  eventful  life,  and,  though 


BEATING   THE   ENGLISH   GOVERNMENT.  25 

it  doubtless  soon  passed  away  in  the  more  stirring  scenes 
on  which  he  entered,  yet  the  remembrance  of  it  still  lin- 
gers around  that  quiet,  retired  Welsh  valley,  and,  to-day, 
the  name  of  Stanley  is  a  household  word  there,  and  the 
pride  and  glory  of  its  simple  inhabitants.  And  as  time 
goes  on  and  silvers  chose  dark  hairs,  and  the  "  almond-tree 
flourishes"  and  "desire  fails,  because  man  goeth  to  his 
long  home,"  he,  too,  will  remember  it  as  one  of  those  green 
oases  he  once  longed  to  see  and  found  in  the  arid  desert. 

In  1867,  then  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  he  returned  to 
the  United  States  and,  in  the  next  year,  accompanied  the 
English  army  in  its  campaign  against  Theodore,  king  of 
Abyssinia,  set  on  foot  to  revenge  the  wrongs  the  latter  had 
committed  against  the  subjects  and  representatives  of  the 
British  government.  He  went  as  correspondent  of  the 
New  York  Herald^  and  gave  a  vivid  and  clear  account  of 
the  painful  march  and  skirmishes  up  to  the  last  great  bat- 
tle in  the  king's  stronghold,  where,  with  a  gallant  dash, 
the  fortress  was  taken,  the  king  killed  and  the  war  ended 
With  that  promptness  in  acting,  which  is  one  of  his  chief 
characteristics,  he  at  once  dispatched  the  news  of  the  vic- 
tory and  the  ending  of  the  campaign  to  London,  beating 
the  governmental  dispatches  sent  by  the  commander-in- 
chief,  so  that  one  morning  the  readers  of  the  London 
newspapers  knew  that  of  which  the  government  was  igno- 
rant. This,  of  course,  was  a  genuine  surprise.  A  young 
American  newspaper  correspondent,  without  a  vessel  at  his 
command,  had,  nevertheless,  by  his  enterprise,  beat  the 
governmental  messenger,  and  steady  old  conservative 
England  was  disgusted  to  find  its  time-honored  custom  re- 
versed, Avhich  was  that  the  government  should  first  give 
notice  of  successes  to  the  public,  leaving  to  newspaper  cor- 
respondents to  fill  up  the  minor  details.  But  an  enter- 
prising young  American  had  furnished    the  important 


26  SENT   TO   SPAIN. 

news,  leaving  the  British  government  the  secondary  duty 
of  supplying  these  details.  Notwithstanding  the  admira- 
tion of  the  enterprise  that  had  accomplished  this  great  feat, 
there  was  a  ludicrous  aspect  to  the  affair,  in  the  position  in 
which  it  placed  official  personages,  that  raised  a  quiet  laugh 
on  both  continents.  His  letters  contain  the  best  history  of 
that  expedition  that  has  ever  been  written.  This  was  still 
another  onward  step  in  the  great  work  before  him,  of 
which  he,  as  yet,  had  no  intimation.  The  next  year,  1868, 
he  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  in  the  following  year 
was  sent  by  the  Herald  into  Spain,  to  follow  the  fortunes 
of  the  civil  war  there,  as  correspondent.  Like  everything 
else  that  he  undertook,  he  performed  his  duties  more  than 
faithfully.  Exposure,  danger,  hardships,  nothing  inter- 
fered when  there  was  a  prospect  of  acquiring  valuable  in- 
formation. It  mattered  not  to  him  whether  he  was  on  the 
margin  or  in  the  vortex  of  battle — he  never  thought  of 
anything  but  the  object  before  him  and  toward  which  he 
bent  all  his  energies.  His  letters  from  the  seat  of  war  not 
only  gave  the  best  description  of  the  battles  fought  and  of 
the  military  position  of  affairs,  but,  also,  of  the  political 
state  of  the  kingdom.  But  while  he  was  here,  considering 
himself  fixed  down  for  an  indefinite  j^eriod,  for  Spain  is 
proverbial  for  the  protracted  duration  of  its  civil  wars, 
Mr.  Bennett,  in  Paris,  was  j)lanning  an  exj^edition  to  go  in 
search  of  Dr.  Livingstone,  buried,  alive  or  dead,  somewhere 
in  the  heart  of  Africa.  The  sympathies  of  everybody 
were  enlisted  in  his  fate,  yet  the  British  government, 
though  he  had  done  so  much  to  enhance  the  fame  of  his 
native  country,  refused  to  stir  a  step  toward  ascertaining 
his  fate  or  relieving  him  if  in  want  or  bondage.  The  Eoyal 
Geographical  Society,  ashamed  of  the  apathy  and  indiffer- 
ence of  the  government,  had  started  a  subscription  to  raise 
funds  from  private  sources  to  defray  the  exj^enses  of  an  ex- 


NOTED   TRAVELERS. 


ME.  Bennett's  profound  sagacity.  29 

pedition  to  go  in  search  of  liim.  In  the  meantime  this 
American  editor,  scorning  alike  state  patronage  or  private 
help,  conceived  the  hold  project  of  finding  him  himself. 
Looking  round  for  a  suitable  leader  to  command  an  expe- 
dition, his  eye  rested  on  Stanley  in  Spain.  And  here 
should  be  noted  the  profound  sagacity  of  Mr.  Bennett  in 
selecting  such  a  leader  for  this  desperate  expedition,  that 
was  to  go  no  one  knew  where,  and  end  no  one  knew  at  what 
point.  Most  people  thought  it  was  a  mammoth  advertise- 
ment of  the  New  York  Herald,  nothing  more.  If  he  was 
in  earnest,  why  did  he  not  select  some  one  of  the  many 
African  explorers  who  were  familiar  with  the  regions  of 
Central  Africa,  and  had  explored  in  the  vicinity  of  where 
Livingstone  was,  by  the  best  judges,  supposed  to  be,  if 
alive?  Men,  for  instance,  like  Speke,  Baker,  Burton, 
Grant  and  others.  This  certainly  would  have  given  great 
eclat  to  the  expedition,  and,  if  it  failed  in  its  chief  object^ 
would  unquestionably  furnish  new  facts  for  the  geographer 
and  the  man  of  science.  But  to  send  one  who  made  no  pre- 
tensions to  science,  no  claims  to  be  a  meteorologist,  botanist, 
geologist,  or  to  be  familiar  with  astronomical  calculations, 
all  of  which  are  indisj^ensable  to  a  great  explorer,  seemed 
absurd.  But  Mr.  Bennett  had  no  intention  of  makins: 
new  scientific  or  geographical  discoveries.  He  had  but  one 
object  in  view — to  find  Dr.  Livingstone — and  on  the  true 
Napoleonic  system  of  selecting  the  best  man  to  accomplish 
a  single  object,  he,  with  Napoleonic  sagacity,  fixed  on 
Stanley.  The  celebrated  men  who  would  have  given 
greater  distinction  to  the  enterprise  would,  doubtless,  divide 
up  their  time  and  resources  between  scientific  research  and 
the  chief  object  of  the  expedition,  and  thus  cause  delays 
that  might  defeat  it ;  or,  with  more  or  less  of  the  martinet 
about  them,  push  their  researches  only  to  a  reasonable  ex- 
tent and  be  content  with  reports  instead  of  personal  inves- 


30  QUICKNESS   OF   JUDGMENT. 

tigation.  But  he  wanted  a  man  who  nad  but  one  thing  to 
do,  and  not  only  that,  but  a  man  who  would  accomplish 
the  errand  on  which  he  was  sent  or  die  in  the  attempt. 
This  was  to  be  no  mere  well-regulated  expedition,  that  was 
to  turn  back  when  all  reasonable  efforts  had  been  made. 
It  was  one  that,  if  desperate  straits  should  come,  would  re- 
sort to  desperate  means,  and  he  knew  that  with  Stanley  at 
its  head  this  would  be  done.  He  knew  that  Stanley  would 
fetch  out  Livingstone,  dead  or  alive,  or  leave  his  bones  to 
bleach  in  the  wilds  of  Africa.  The  latter  was  compara- 
tively young,  it  was  true ;  had  always  accompanied,  never 
led,  expeditions.  He  knew  nothing  of  Africa,  how  an  ex- 
pedition should  be  organized  or  furnished ;  it  mattered  not. 
Bennett  knew  he  had  resources  within  himself — nerves 
that  never  flinch,  courage  that  no  amount  of  danger  could 
daunt,  a  will  that  neither  an  African  fever  nor  a  wasted 
form  could  break  down,  and  a  resolution  of  purpose  that 
the  presence  of  death  itself  could  not  shake,  while,  to 
complete  all,  he  had  a  quickness  and  accuracy  of  judgment 
in  a  perilous  crisis,  followed  by  equally  quick  and  right 
'action,  which  would  extricate  him  out  of  difficulties  that 
would  overwhelm  men  who  had  all  his  courage,  will  and 
energy,  but  were  slower  in  coming  to  a  decision.  This  lat- 
ter quality  is  one  of  the  rarest  ever  found  even  in  the  strongest 
men ;  to  think  quick  and  yet  think  right,  to  come  to  a 
right  decision  as  if  by  impulse,  is  a  power  few  men  possess. 
To  go  swift  and  yet  straight  as  the  cannon  ball  or  light- 
ning's flash,  gives  to  every  man's  actions  tenfold  power. 
In  this  lay  the  great  secret  of  Napoleon's  success.  The 
campaigns  were  started,  while  those  of  others  were  under 
discussion,  and  the  thunder  and  tumult  of  battle  cleared 
his  perceptions  and  judgment  so  that  no  unexpected  disaster 
could  occur  that  he  was  not  ready  to  meet.  This  quickness 
and  accuracy  of  thought  and  action  is  one  of  the  promi- 


THE  SECRET   OF   STANLEY'S   SUCCESS.  31 

nent  characteristics  of  Stanley,  and  more  than  once  saved 
his  life  and  his  expedition. 

On  the  16th  day  of  October,  1869,  as  he  was  sitting  in 
his  hotel  at  Madrid,  having  just  returned  from  the  car- 
nage of  Valencia,  a  telegram  was  handed  him.  The 
thunder  of  cannon  and  tumult  of  battle  had  scarce  ceased 
echoing  in  his  ear  when  this  telegram  startled  him  from 
his  reverie,  "  Come  to  Paris  on  important  business."  In  a 
moment  all  was  hurry  and  confusion,  his  books  and  pic- 
tures were  packed,  his  washed  and  unwashed  clothes  w^ere 
stowed  away,  and  in  two  hours  his  trunks  were  strapped 
and  labeled  "  Paris."  The  train  started  at  3  o'clock,  and 
he  still  had  some  time  to  say  good-bye  to  his  friends,  and 
here  by  mere  accident  comes  out  one  of  the  most  pleasing 
traits  of  his  character.  Of  the  friends  he  is  thus  to  leave, 
he  merely  refers  to  those  of  the  American  legation,  but 
dwells  with  regret  on  the  farewell  he  must  give  to  two  lit- 
tle children,  w^hom  he  calls  his  "fast  friends."  Like  a 
sudden  burst  of  sunlight  on  a  landscape,  this  unconscious 
utterance  reveals  a  heart  as  tender  as  it  is  strong,  and  in- 
creases our  interest  in  the  man  quite  as  much  as  in  the  ex- 
plorer. At  3  o'clock  he  was  thundering  on  toward  Paris 
ready,  as  he  said,  to  go  to  the  battle  or  the  banquet,  all  the 
same.  His  interview  with  Mr.  Bennett  reveals  the  char- 
acter of  both  these  men  so  clearly  that  we  give  it  in  Stan- 
ley's own  words : 

"  At  3*  P.  M.  I  was  on  my  way,  and  being  obliged  to  stop 
at  Bayonne  a  few  hours,  did  not  arrive  at  Paris  until  the 
following  night.  I  went  straight  to  the  *  Grand  Hotel,' 
and  knocked  at  the  door  of  Mr.  Bennett's  room. 

"  *  Come  in,'  I  heard  a  voice  say.  Entering,  I  found  Mr. 
Bennett  in  bed. 

"  *  Who  are  you  ?'  he  asked. 

"  *  My  name  is  Stanley,'  I  answered. 


32  FIXD   LIVINGSTONE. 

"  *  Ah,  yes,  sit  down ;  I  have  important  business  on  hand 
for  you.' 

"  After  throwing  over  his  shoulders  his  robe  de  chambre, 
Mr.  Bennett  asked :  *  Where  do  you  think  Livingstone 
is?' 

" '  I  really  do  not  know,  sir.' 

"  *  Do  you  think  he  is  alive  ?' 

" '  He  may  be,  and  he  may  not  be,'  I  answered. 

" '  Well,  I  think  he  is  alive,  and  that  he  can  be  found, 
and  I  am  going  to  send  you  to  find  him.' 

" '  What,^  said  I,  '  do  you  really  think  I  can  find  Dr. 
Livingstone  ?    Do  you  mean  me  to  go  to  Central  Africa  ?' 

"  *  Yes ;  I  mean  that  you  shall  go  and  find  him,  wherever 
you  hear  that  he  is,  and  get  what  news  you  can  of  him ; 
and,  perhaps' — delivering  himself  thoughtfully  and  de- 
liberately— '  the  old  man  may  be  in  want.  Take  enough 
with  you  to  help  him,  should  he  require  it.  Of  course, 
you  will  act  according  to  your  own  plans,  and  you  will  do 
what  is  best — but  find  Livingstone  !' 

"  Said  I,  wondering  at  the  cool  order  of  sending  one  to 
Central  Africa  to  search  for  a  man  whom  I,  in  common 
with  most  other  men,  believed  to  be  dead :  *  Have  you 
considered  seriously  the  great  expense  you  are  liable  to 
incur  on  account  of  this  little  journey?' 

"  *  What  will  it  cost  ?'  he  asked,  abruptly. 

"  *  Burton  and  Speke's  journey  to  Central  Africa  cost 
between  £3,000  and  £5,000,  and  I  fear  it  cannot  be  done 
under  £2,500.' 

" '  Well,  I  will  tell  you  what  you  will  do.  Draw  a  thou- 
sand pounds  now,  and  when  you  have  gone  through  that, 
draw  another  thousand,  and  when  that  is  spent  draw 
another  thousand,  and  when  you  have  finished  that  draw 
another  thousand,  and  so  on — ^but  find  Livingstone  !' 

"  Surprised,  but  not  confused,  at  the  order,  for  I  knew 


INTERVIEW   WITH   ME.    BENNETT.  35 

that  Mr.  Bennett,  when  he  had  once  made  up  his  mind, 
was  not  easily  drawn  aside  from  his  purpose,  I  yet 
thought,  seeing  it  was  such  a  gigantic  scheme,  that  he  had 
not  quite  considered  in  his  own  mind  the  pros  and  cons  of 
the  case,  I  said :  *  I  have  heard  that  should  your  father 
die  you  would  sell  the  Herald,  and  retire  from  business.* 

"  *  Whoever  told  you  so  is  wrong,  for  there  is  not  money 
enough  in  the  United  States  to  buy  the  New  York  Herald. 
My  father  has  made  it  a  great  paper,  but  I  mean  to  make 
it  a  greater.  I  mean,  that  it  shall  be  a  newspaper  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  word ;  I  mean,  that  it  shall  publish  what- 
ever news  may  be  useful  to  the  world,  at  no  matter  what 
cost* 

" '  After  that/  said  I,  *  I  have  nothing  more  to  say.  Do 
you  mean  me  to  go  straight  on  to  Africa  to  search  for  Dr. 
Livingstone  V 

" '  No ;  I  wish  you  to  go  to  the  inauguration  of  the  Suez 
Canal  first,  and  then  proceed  up  the  Nile.  I  hear  Baker 
is  about  starting  for  Upper  Egypt.  Find  out  what  you  can 
about  his  expedition,  and,  as  you  go  up,  describe,  as  well  as 
possible,  whatever  is  interesting  for  tourists,  and  then  write 
up  a  guide — a  practical  one — for  Lower  Egypt;  tell  us 
about  whatever  is  worth  seeing,  and  how  to  see  it. 

" '  Then  you  might  as  well  go  to  Jerusalem ;  I  hear  that 
Captain  Warren  is  making  some  interesting  discoveries 
there.  Then  visit  Constantinople,  and  find  out  about  the 
khedive  and  the  sultan. 

"  *  Then — ^let  me  see — you  might  as  well  visit  the  Crimea 
and  those  old  battle-grounds.  Then  go  across  the  Cau- 
casus to  the  Caspian  Sea.  I  hear  there  is  a  Russian  expe- 
dition bound  for  Khiva.  From  thence  you  may  get 
through  Persia  to  India;  you  could  write  an  interesting 
letter  from  Persepolis. 

"  *  Bagdad  will  be  close  on  your  way  to  India ;  suppose 


36  A   FALSE   CHARGE. 

you  go  there  and  write  up  something  about  the  Euphrates 
Valley  Railway.  Then,  when  you  have  come  to  India, 
you  may  go  after  Dr  Livingstone.  Probably  you  will 
hear  by  that  time  that  Livingstone  is  on  his  way  to  Zanzi- 
bar ;  but,  if  not,  go  into  the  interior  and  find  him,  if  alive. 
Get  what  news  of  his  discoveries  you  can ;  and  if  you  find 
that  he  is  dead,  bring  all  possible  proofs  you  can  of  his 
being  dead.  That  is  all.  Good-night,  and  God  be  with 
you.' 

"  *  Good-night,  sir,'  I  said,  '  what  is  in  the  power  of  hu- 
man nature  I  will  do ;  and  on  such  an  errand  as  I  go  upon 
God  will  be  with  me.' 

"I  lodged  with  young  Edward  King,  who  is  making  such 
a  name  in  New  England.  He  was  just  the  man  who  would 
have  delighted  to  tell  the  journal  he  was  engaged  upon 
what  young  Mr.  Bennett  was  doing,  and  what  errand  I  was 
bound  upon.  I  should  have  liked  to  exchange  opinions  with 
him  upon  the  probable  results  of  my  journey,  but  dared  not 
do  so.  Though  oppressed  with  the  great  task  before  me,  I 
had  to  appear  as  if  only  going  to  be  present  at  the  Suez 
Canal.  Young  Kifig  followed  me  to  the  express  train 
bound  for  Marseilles,  and  at  the  station  we  parted — he  to  go 
and  read  the  newspapers  at  Bowles's  Reading-room,  I  to 
Central  Africa  and — who  knows?  There  is  no  need  to 
recapitulate  what  I  did  before  going  to  Central  Africa." 

He  started  on  his  travels,  and  we  hear  of  him  first  in 
Constantinople,  from  our  minister  there,  Mr.  Morris,  who 
had  relieved  him  and  his  companions  when  plundered  by 
Turkish  brigands.  One  of  Mr.  Stanley's  traveling  com- 
panions who  had  been  robbed  with  himself,  accused  him  of 
dishonesty  in  a  published  letter  regarding  the  money  our 
minister  had  advanced.  It  is  not  necessary  to  go  into  this 
accusation  or  a  refutation  of  it  now,  it  is  sufiicient  to  say 
that  Mr.  Morris  declared  the  whole  charge  false,  and  as  the 


STANLEY   STARTS   ON   HIS  TRAVELS.  37 

shortest  and  most  complete  refutation  of  such  a  charge,  we 
give  Mr.  Morris's  own  views  of  Mr.  Stanley : 

"The  uncouth  young  man  whom  I  first  knew  had  grown 
into  a  perfect  man  of  the  world,  possessing  the  aj^pearance, 
the  manners  and  the  attributes  of  a  perfect  gentleman. 
The  story  of  the  adventures  which  he  had  gone  through 
and  the  dangers  he  had  passed  during  his  absence,  were 
perfectly  marvelous,  and  he  became  the  lion  of  our  little 
circle.  Scarcely  a  day  passed  but  he  was  a  guest  at  my 
table,  and  no  one  was  more  welcome,  for  I  insensibly  grew 
to  have  a  strong  attachment  for  him  myself."  In  speaking 
further  on  of  his  projected  travels,  he  said  he  advised 
him  to  go  to  Persia,  which  Stanley  suddenly  came  to  the 
conclusion  to  follow  out.  "He  therefore,"  he  says,  "busied 
himself  in  procuring  letters  of  introduction  to  the  Kussian 
authorities  in  Caucasus,  in  Georgia  and  in  other  countries 
through  which  he  would  have  to  pass." 

This  is  quite  enough  to  put  to  rest  the  scandal,  that  at 
one  time  produced  quite  a  sensation,  that  Stanley  had 
cheated  him  and  misappropriated  the  funds  advanced  by 
him.  No  explanations  are  required  after  this  indorsement 
by  Mr.  Morris  himself. 

Of  this  long  and  hazardous  journey,  the  columns  of  the 
Herald  gave  all  the  principal  details.  There  is  nothing  in 
them  that  illustrates  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  Stanley 
any  more  or  even  so  mucJi  as  his  subsequent  acts,  hence 
his  brief  summary  of  this  tour,  that  seems  to  have  had  no 
definite  object  whatever,  except  to  give  the  correspondent 
of  the  Herald  something  to  do,  until  the  proper  moment 
to  start  on  the  expedition  for  Livingstone,  is,  perhaps,  the 
best  account  that  could  be  given,  so  far  as  the  general 
reader  is  concerned.  All  we  can  say  is,  it  seems  a  very 
roundabout  way  in  which  to  commence  such  an  expedition. 

"I  went  up  the  Nile  and  saw  Mr.  Higginbotham,  chief 


38  A   WELCOME   EVERYWHERE. 

engineer  in  Baker's  expedition,  at  Philse,  and  was  the 
means  of  preventing  a  duel  between  him  and  a  mad  young 
Frenchman,  who  wanted  to  fight  Mr.  Higginbotham  with 
pistols,  because  Mr.  Higginbotham  resented  the  idea  of 
being  taken  for  an  Egyptian  through  wearing  a  fez  cap. 
I  had  a  talk  with  Captain  Warren  at  Jerusalem,  and 
descended  one  of  the  pits  with  a  sergeant  of  engineers  to 
see  the  marks  of  Tyrian  workmen  on  the  foundation-stones 
of  the  Temple  of  Solomon.  I  visited  the  mosques  of  Stam- 
boul  with  the  minister  resident  of  the  United  States,  and 
the  American  consul  general.  I  traveled  over  the  Cri- 
mean battle-grounds  with  Kinglake's  glorious  books  for 
reference.  I  dined  with  the  widow  of  General  Lij^randi, 
at  Odessa.  I  saw  the  Arabian  traveler,  Palgrave,  at  Trebi- 
zond,  and  Baron  Nicolay,  the  civil  governor  of  the  Cau- 
casus, at  Tiflis.  I  lived  with  the  Russian  embassador 
while  at  Teheran,  and  wherever  I  went  through  Persia  I 
received  the  most  hospitable  welcome  from  the  gentlemen 
of  the  Indo-European  Telegraph  Company ;  and  following 
the  example  of  many  illustrious  men,  I  wrote  my  name 
upon  one  of  the  Persepolitan  monuments.  In  the  month 
of  August,  1870,  I  arrived  in  India." 

In  completing  this  sketch  of  Mr.  Stanley's  character,  it 
is  necessary  only  to  add  that  his  after  career  fully  justified 
the  high  estimate  Mr.  Bennett  placed  on  his  extraoi-dinary 
qualities.  These  were  tested  to  their  utmost  extent  in  his 
persistent,  determined  search  after  the  man  he  was  sent  to 
find.  But  we  believe  that  Livingstone,  when  found,  with 
whom  Stanley  j)assed  some  months,  exerted  a  powerful  in- 
fluence on  the  character  which  we  have  attempted  to  portray. 
Stanley  was  comparatively  young,  full  of  life  and  ambition, 
with  fame,  greater  probably  than  he  had  ever  anticipated, 
now  within  his  reach.  Yet,  here  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  he 
found  a  man  well  on  in  years,  of  a  world-wide  fame,  yet 


SUMMARY   OF   STANLEY'S   EASTERN   TOUR.  39 

apparently  indifferent  to  it.  This  man  who  had  spent  his 
life  in  a  savage  country,  away  from  home  and  all  the 
pleasures  of  civilized  society,  who  expected  to  pass  the 
remnant  of  his  days  in  the  same  isolated  state,  was  looking 
beyond  this  life.  He  was  forgetting  himself,  in  the  absorb- 
ing purpose  to  benefit  others.  Fame  to  him  was  nothing, 
the  welfare  of  a  benighted  race  everything.  This  was  a 
new  revelation  to  the  ambitious  young  man.  Hitherto  he 
had  thought  only  of  himself,  but  here  was  a  man,  earnest, 
thoughtful,  sincere,  w^ho  was  living  to  carry  out  a  great 
idea — no  less  than  the  salvation  of  a  continent — nay  more 
than  this,  who  was  working  not  for  himself,  but  for  a  Master, 
and  that  Master,  the  God  of  the  universe.  He  remained 
with  him  in  close  companionship  for  months,  and  intimate 
relations  with  a  man  borne  up  by  such  a  lofty  purpose, 
inspired  by  such  noble  feelings,  and  looking  so  far  away 
beyond  time  for  his  reward,  could  not  but  have  an  important 
influence  on  a  man  with  Stanley's  noble  and  heroic  qualities. 
It  was  a  new  revelation  to  him.  He  had  met,  not  a  successful, 
bold  explorer,  but  a  Christian,  impelled  and  sustained  by  the 
great  and  noble  idea  of  regenerating  a  race  and  honoring 
the  God  of  man  and  the  earth.  We  say  such  a  lengthened 
companionship  with  a  man  of  this  character  could  not  but 
lift  liim  on  to  a  higher  plane,  and  inspire  him  with  a  loftier 
purj^ose  than  that  of  a  mere  explorer. 

But  while  this  expedition  brought  out  all  the  peculiar 
traits  we  have  spoken  of,  his  last  expedition  developed  quali- 
ties which  circumstances  as  yet,  had  not  yet  exliibited. 
When  he  emerged  on  the  Atlantic  coast  with  his  company 
he  was  hailed  with  acclamations,  and  a  British  vessel  was 
placed  at  his  disposal  in  which  to  return  home.  But  the 
ease  and  comfort  offered  him,  and  the  applause  awaiting  him 
were  nothing  compared  with  the  comfort  and  welcome  of 
the  savage  band  that  had  for  so  long  a  time  been  his  com- 


40  PHARISAICAL   PHILANTHROPY. 

panions  and  his  only  reliance  in  the  perils  through  which 
he  had  passed.  True,  they  had  often  heen  intractible,  dis- 
obedient and  trustless,  but  still  they  had  been  his  com- 
panions in  one  of  the  most  perilous  marches  ever  attempted 
by  man,  and  with  that  large  charity  that  allowed  for  the 
conduct  of  these  untutored,  selfish  animals  of  the  desert,  he 
forgot  it  all,  and  would  do  nothing,  think  of  nothing,  till 
their  wants  were  supplied  and  their  welfare  secured.  He 
would  see  them  safe  back  to  the  spot  from  which  he  took 
them,  and  did,  before  he  took  care  of  himself.  A  noble 
nature  there  asserted  itself,  and  we  doubt  not  that  every 
one  of  those  ignorant,  poor  savages  would  go  to  the  death 
for  that  brave  man  to  whom  their  own  welfare  was  so 
dear. 

In  this  sketch  of  Mr.  Stanley,  as  it  appears  to  us  from 
the  record  of  his  life,  we  have  omitted  to  notice  those  faults 
which  are  incident  to  poor  human  nature,  in  whatever  ])ei'- 
son  it  is  enshrined.  But  perhaps  this  is  as  good  a  place  as 
any  to  notice  the  charge  brought  against  him  by  some  per- 
sons in  the  English  press,  of  having  killed  natives,  not  in 
self-defense  but  to  carry  out  his  explorations,  asserting  that 
neither  for  fame  nor  science  or  any  other  motive  had  a  man 
a  right  to  take  the  life  of  his  fellow-man.  Without  going 
into  an  argument  on  this  point,  or  bringing  forward  the 
circumstances  of  this  particular  case,  leaving  that  to  be 
explained  in  the  narrative,  as  it  will  appear  in  subsequent 
pages,  we  wish  simply  to  say  that  the  philanthropy  and 
Christianity,  in  behalf  of  which  the  charge  is  made,  is  pure 
Pharisaism.  Those  writers  asserted  that  life  should  be  taken 
only  in  self-defense.  But  it  is  right,  from  mere  covetous- 
nesss  to  seize  territory  in  India,  and  thus  provoke  the  right- 
ful owners  to  rise  in  defense  of  their  own,  which  act  converts 
them  into  assailants,  that  must  be  killed  in  self-defense. 
But  a  man  having  passed  through  friendly  territory  sud- 


ENGLISH  CHARGE  OF  CRUELTY  REFUTED.     .  41 

denly  finds  himself  stopped  by  hostile  savages,  who  declare 
that  he  must  retrace  his  three  months'  journey  and  turn 
back,  not  because  they  are  to  be  despoiled  of  their  land,  or 
wronged  in  their  persons,  but  from  mere  savage  blood- 
thirstiness  and  hate.  Mr.  Stanley  quietly  insists  on  con- 
tinuing his  journey,  desiring  no  conflict,  but  finding  them 
determined  to  kill  him  and  break  up  his  expedition,  he 
anticipates  their  movements  and  shoots  down  some  of  them, 
and  lo,  these  writers  who  defend  the  slaughter  of  tens  of 
thousands  of  men  in  India,  so  that  England  may  enjoy  her 
wholesale  robbery,  nay,  threaten  Europe  with  bloody  war 
at  the  mere  hint  that  others  may  want  to  share  her  unjust 
possessions,  call  on  the  English  people  to  refuse  to  give 
Stanley  a  public  reception  because  he  killed  a  half  dozen 
savages  who  wanted  to  kill  him.  He  should  have  waited, 
they  say,  till  they  fired  the  first  shot ;  as  he  did  not,  his 
conduct  should  be  investigated  by  the  j)hilanthropic  subjects 
of  Her  Majesty  the  Queen. 

From  this  brief  sketch  of  Mr.  Stanley's  career  and 
character,  one  might,  without  presumption,  predict  that 
what  he  had  done  for  Africa,  great  as  it  is,  may  be  only  the 
beginning  of  what  he  proposes  to  do. 

The  mantle  of  Livingstone  may  fall  upon  his  shoulders, 
and  th^  ambition  of  the  explorer  give  way  to  the  higher 
impulse  of  redeeming  this  benighted  country,  and  these 
two  names  become  as  closely  linked  with  the  civilized. 
Christianized  Africa  of  the  future,  as  that  of  Columbus  with 
America.  Haiving  laid  open  to  the  world  the  great  work 
to  be  done  there,  let  us  hope  he  will  be  the  great  leader  in 
performing  it. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"THE  DARK  CONTINENT" — DESCRIPTION  OF  IT— DIFFICULTIES  OP  EXPLORING  IT— HATRED  OF 
WHITE  MEN— THE  FIUST  REAL  ENCROACHMENT  MADE  BY  A  MISSIONARY — DESCRIPTION  OK 
THE  PORTION  TO  BE  EXPLORED— ITS  ARTICLES  OF  COMMERCE— ITS  FUTURE  DESTINY. 

ALL  there  was  of  civilization  in  the  world  was  found 
at  one  time  in  Africa.  Art  and  science  had  their 
home  there,  while  now  it  is  the  most  benighted  and  bar- 
barous portion  of  the  earth  and  is,  not  inaptly,  called  "the 
dark  continent."  With  a  breadth  at  the  equator  of  four 
thousand  five  hundred  miles,  with  the  exception  of  thin  lines 
of  sea-coast  on  each  side,  this  vast  space  was  as  much  unknown 
as  the  surface  of  a  distant  planet.  The  Barbary  States  and 
Egypt,  on  the  Mediterranean  and  Red  Seas,  some  Portuguese 
settlements  on  the  Indian  Ocean,  the  English  and  Dutch 
colonies  of  South  Africa,  a  few  trading  ports  and  the  English 
and  American  colonies  in  Guinea,  constituted  Africa,  so  far 
as  the  knowledge  of  the  civilized  world  went.  And  yet 
beyond  these  outer  rims  lay  real  Africa,  and  there  lived  its 
vast  population.  That  it  was  fertile  was  well-known,  for 
out  of  its  mysterious  bosom  flowed  magnificent  rivers, 
the  Congo  being  ten  miles  wide  at  its  mouth.  That  it  con- 
tained a  mighty  population  was  equally  apparent,  for  in 
two  centuries  it  yielded  forty  millions  of  slaves,  which  were 
distributed  over  the  world.  Slave  hunters  here  and  there 
pierced  a  little  way  into  this  unknown  region,  and  faint 
echoes  came  now  and  then  out  of  this  vast  solitude,  but 
they  were  echoes  only,  and  Africa  rested  amid  the  conti- 
nents a  mystery  and  a  riddle  that  seemed  likely  never  to 

42 


OBSTACLES    TO    EXPLORATION.  43 

be  solved.  The  vast  Desert  of  Sahara  on  the  north, 
stretching  down  to  the  equator,  presented  an  impenetra- 
ble barrier  to  explorers  entering  from  that  direction, 
while  along  the  eastern  and  western  coasts  they  were 
beaten  back  by  savage  tribes  or  fell  victims  to  the  diseases 
of  the  country.  Matted  forests,  wild  beasts  and  venomous 
reptiles  were  added  to  the  other  obstacles  that  beset  their 
path,  so  that  only  now  and  then  an  adventurous  explorer 
got  beyond  the  outer  rim  of  the  continent. 

The  Nile,  piercing  to  the  equator,  seemed  the  most  natu- 
ral avenue  by  which  to  enter  this  region,  but  the  slave 
hunters  by  their  cruelty,  and  the  petty  wars  they  had  en- 
gendered among  the  various  tribes,  made  the  presence  of 
a  white  man  in  their  midst  the  occasion  of  hostile  demon- 
strations. The  lofty  mountains  and  broad  rivers  that  came 
out  of  this  vast  unknown  region  added  to  the  mysterious 
interest  that  enveloped  it.  Though  certain  death  awaited 
the  daring  traveler  who  endeavored  to  penetrate  far  into 
the  interior,  fresh  victims  were  found  ready  to  peril  their 
lives  in  the  effort  to  solve  the  mystery  of  Central  Africa. 
The  path  of  these  travelers,  when  traced  on  the  map,  ap- 
pears like  mere  punctures  of  the  great  continent.  Mission- 
ary effort  could  only  effect  a  lodgment  along  the  coast, 
while  colonies  remained  stationary  on  the  spot  where  they 
were  first  planted. 

Although  holding  the  entire  southern  portion,  the  Eng- 
lish colony  could  make  but  little  headway  against  the 
tribes  that  confronted  them  on  the  north.  The  most  ad- 
venturous men  urged  not  by  curiosity  or  desire  of  knowl- 
edge, but  cupidity,  penetrated  the  farthest  into  the  interior, 
but,  instead  of  throwing  light  on  those  dark  places,  they 
made  them  seem  more  dark  and  terrible  by  the  miserable 
naked  and  half-starved  wretches  they  brought  out  to  civ- 
ilization, to  become  more  wretched  still  by  the  life  of 
slavery  to  which  they  were  doomed. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"THE  DARK  CONTINENT  "—DESCRIPTION  OP  IT— DIFFICULTIES  OF  EXPLORING  IT— HATRED  OF 
WHITE  MEN— THE  FIUST  REAL  ENCROACHMENT  MADE  BV  A  MISSIONARY— DESCRIPTION  OK 
THE  PORTION  TO  BE  EXPLORED— ITS  ARTICLES  OF  COMMERCE— ITS  FUTURE  DESTINY. 

ALL  there  was  of  civilization  in  the  world  was  found 
at  one  time  in  Africa.  Art  and  science  had  their 
home  there,  while  now  it  is  the  most  benighted  and  bar- 
barous portion  of  the  earth  and  is,  not  inaptly,  called  "the 
dark  continent."  With  a  breadth  at  the  equator  of  four 
thousand  five  hundred  miles,  with  the  exception  of  thin  lines 
of  sea-coast  on  each  side,  this  vast  space  was  as  much  unknown 
as  the  surface  of  a  distant  planet.  The  Barbary  States  and 
Egypt,  on  the  Mediterranean  and  Red  Seas,  some  Portuguese 
settlements  on  the  Indian  Ocean,  the  English  and  Dutch 
colonies  of  South  Africa,  a  few  trading  ports  and  the  English 
and  American  colonies  in  Guinea,  constituted  Africa,  so  far 
as  the  knowledge  of  the  civilized  world  went.  And  yet 
beyond  these  outer  rims  lay  real  Africa,  and  there  lived  its 
vast  population.  That  it  was  fertile  was  well-known,  for 
out  of  its  mysterious  bosom  flowed  magnificent  rivers, 
the  Congo  being  ten  miles  wide  at  its  mouth.  That  it  con- 
tained a  mighty  population  was  equally  apparent,  for  in 
two  centuries  it  yielded  forty  millions  of  slaves,  which  were 
distributed  over  the  world.  Slave  hunters  here  and  there 
pierced  a  little  way  into  this  unknown  region,  and  faint 
echoes  came  now  and  then  out  of  this  vast  solitude,  but 
they  were  echoes  only,  and  Africa  rested  amid  the  conti- 
nents a  mystery  and  a  riddle  that  seemed  likely  never  to 

42 


OBSTACLES    TO    EXPLORATION.  43 

be  solved.  The  vast  Desert  of  Sahara  on  the  north, 
stretching  down  to  the  equator,  presented  an  impenetra- 
ble barrier  to  explorers  entering  from  that  direction, 
while  along  the  eastern  and  western  coasts  they  were 
beaten  back  by  savage  tribes  or  fell  victims  to  the  diseases 
of  the  country.  Matted  forests,  wild  beasts  and  venomous 
reptiles  were  added  to  the  other  obstacles  that  beset  their 
path,  so  that  only  now  and  then  an  adventurous  explorer 
got  beyond  the  outer  rim  of  the  continent. 

The  Nile,  piercing  to  the  equator,  seemed  the  most  natu- 
ral avenue  by  which  to  enter  this  region,  but  th6  slave 
hunters  by  their  cruelty,  and  the  petty  wars  they  had  en- 
gendered among  the  various  tribes,  made  the  presence  of 
a  white  man  in  their  midst  the  occasion  of  hostile  demon- 
strations. The  lofty  mountains  and  broad  rivers  that  came 
out  of  this  vast  unknown  region  added  to  the  mysterious 
interest  that  enveloped  it.  Though  certain  death  awaited 
the  daring  traveler  who  endeavored  to  penetrate  far  into 
the  interior,  fresh  victims  were  found  ready  to  peril  their 
lives  in  the  effort  to  solve  the  mystery  of  Central  Africa. 
The  path  of  these  travelers,  when  traced  on  the  map,  ap- 
pears like  mere  punctures  of  the  great  continent.  Mission- 
ary effort  could  only  effect  a  lodgment  along  the  coast, 
while  colonies  remained  stationary  on  the  spot  where  they 
were  first  planted. 

Although  holding  the  entire  southern  portion,  the  Eng- 
lish colony  could  make  but  little  headway  against  the 
tribes  that  confronted  them  on  the  north.  The  most  ad- 
venturous men  urged  not  by  curiosity  or  desire  of  knowl- 
edge, but  cupidity,  penetrated  the  farthest  into  the  interior, 
but,  instead  of  throwing  light  on  those  dark  places,  they 
made  them  seem  more  dark  and  terrible  by  the  miserable 
naked  and  half-starved  wretches  they  brought  out  to  civ- 
ilization, to  become  more  wretched  still  by  the  life  of 
slavery  to  which  they  were  doomed. 


44  AN    EFFECTUAL    BAR   TO   ENTERPRISE. 

Hence  it  could  not  be  otherwise  tlian  that  the  name  of 
white  man  should  be  associated  with  everything  revolting 
and  cruel,  and  that  his  presence  among  these  wild  barbarians 
should  awaken  feelings  of  vengeance.  A  white  man,  to 
those  inland  tribes,  represented  wrong  and  cruelty  alone. 
The  very  word  meant  separation  of  wives,  and  husbands, 
and  families,  and  carried  away  to  a  doom  whose  mystery 
only  enhanced  the  actual  horrors  that  really  awaited  them. 
Hence  the  white  man's  rapacity  and  cruelty  put  an  effectual 
bar  to  his  curiosity  and  enterprise.  The  love  of  knowledge 
and  physical  science  was  thwarted  by  the  love  of  sin  and 
wrong,  and  the  civilized  world,  instead  of  wondering  at  the 
ignorance  and  barbarity  that  kept  back  all  research  and  all 
benevolent  effort,  should  wonder  that  any  one  bearing  the 
slightest  relationship  to  the  so-called  outside  civilized  world, 
should  have  been  allowed  to  exist  for  a  day  where  tliese 
wronged,  outraged  savages  bore  sway. 

It  is  not  a  little  singular  that  the  first  real  encroachment 
on  these  forbidden  regions  was  not  made  by  daring  ex- 
plorers either  for  adventure  or  geographical  knowledge,  or 
to  extend  commerce,  but  by  a  poor  missionary,  whose  sole 
object  was  to  get  the  Gospel  introduced  among  these  un- 
counted millions  of  heathen.  Livingstone  broke  the  sj)ell 
that  hung  over  tropical  Africa,  and  set  on  foot  movements 
that  are  to  work  a  change  in  the  continent  more  important 
and  momentous  than  the  imagination  of  man  can  at  present 
conceive. 

But,  before  entering  on  the  explorations  of  the  last  thirty 
years,  which  are  destined  to  work  such  a  change  in  the 
future  history  of  Africa,  we  wish  to  give  a  clear,  definite 
idea  of  the  region  embraced  in  these  explorations,  and 
which  is  yet  but  partially  unveiled,  and  on  the  develop- 
ment and  management  of  which  the  future  of  Africa  turns. 
The  names  used  by  these  explorers  are  not,  for  the  most 


EXTENT   OF   TROPICAL   AFRICA.  45 

part,  found  on  our  maps,  and  hence  the  reader  is  left  very 
much  in  the  dark  respecting  the  territory  over  which  he  is 
carried  by  the  explorer.  We  endeavored,  a  little  farther 
back,  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the  map  of  Africa,  as  show- 
ing its  j)artially  civilized  and  barbarous  portions,  as  well  as 
the  known  and  unknown  parts  of  the  continent.  We  will 
not  give  the  more  scientific  divisions,  such  as  the  littoral, 
the  lacustrine,  the  great  basins  and  dijfferent  plateaus  and 
mountain  districts,  but  would  say  that  it  is  the  tropical 
regions  of  Africa  that  give  birth  to  its  largest  rivers — is 
covered  by  its  most  magnificent  forests — is  crossed  by  its 
loftiest  mountains,  and  where  dwell  its  teeming  millions. 
And  this  is  the  unknown  part  of  the  continent  and  the 
central  point  toward  which  all  explorers  press. 

This  tropical  Africa  extends  from  about  ten  degrees  above 
to  ten  degrees  below  the  equator,  and  from  ten  to  thirty-five 
east  longitude  ,in  or  round  numbers,  nearly  a  thousand 
miles  above  and  below  the  equator,  to  two  thousand  or 
more  east  and  west  between  these  parallels  of  latitudes. 
With  an  ordinary  map  before  him,  and  with  Zanzibar  on 
the  east  and  Congo  on  the  west,  as  great  landmarks,  the 
reader  will  get  a  very  clear  idea  of  the  ground  aimed  at 
and  touched,  or  pierced  and  crossed  by  recent  explorers, 
and  the  thorough  final  explorations  of  which  will  unlock 
not  only  the  hidden  mystery  of  Africa,  but  open  all  there 
is  of  interest  to  both  the  Christian  and  commercial  world. 
That  to  the  former  there  is  a  field  to  be  occupied  that  will 
tax  the  self-sacrifice  and  benevolence  of  the  Christian 
world,  there  can  be  no  doubt;  while  to  the  commercial 
world  a  field  of  equal  magnitude  and  importance  will  be 
laid  open.  From  the  mere  punctures  into  the  borders  of 
this  unknown  land,  and  the  two  slight  trails  recently  made 
across  it,  there  is  no  doubt  that  from  sixty  to  one  hundred 
millions  of  men  are  here  living  in  the  lowest  and  most  de- 


46  A   NEW   KOUTE   DISCOVERED. 

graded  condition  of  heathenism,  while  the  country  is  bur- 
dened with  those  articles  which  the  commercial  world  need, 
and  can  make  of  vast  benefit  to  man. 

A  glance  at  the  map  will  reveal  what  a  vast  territory 
remains  to  be  explored  and  what  a  mighty  population 
exists  there,  and  yet  to  come  into  contact  with  the  civilized 
world.  It  is  probable  that  that  unexplored  region  between 
the  equator  and  the  great  Desert  of  Sahara  will  reveal 
greater  wonders  than  have  yet  been  discovered. 

It  is  a  little  strange  that  the  enterprise  and  the  curiosity 
of  man  should  urge  him  to  make  repeated  costly  and  vain 
attempts  to  reach  the  north  pole,  where  there  are  neither 
inhabitants  nor  articles  of  commerce,  while  one  of  the 
largest  continents  on  our  globe,  crowded  with  people  and 
rich  in  the  very  products  needed  by  man,  should  be  al- 
lowed to  remain  so  long  a  sealed  book. 

Previous  to  Livingstone,  most  of  the  expeditions  having 
Central  Africa  for  their  objective  point,  made  the  Nile 
their  guide.  Mungo  Park  went  up  the  Niger,  on  the  west 
coast,  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  some 
twenty  years  later  Denham  and  Clapperton  started  from 
Tripoli  and,  crossing  the  Great  Desert,  reached  Lake 
Tschad,  nearly  a  thousand  miles  north  of  the  equator,  and 
worked  west  to  the  Niger,  and  so  to  the  coast  of  Guinea. 
Other  explorers  have  visited  this  region,  comprising  the 
central  part  of  Northern  Africa,  but  the  equatorial  region 
was  sought  by  following  up  the  Nile.  The  western  coast 
had  been  the  scene  of  so  much  cruelty  by  slave  traders, 
that  the  powerful  tribes  in  the  interior  were  so  hostile  to 
white  men  that  they  would  not  allow  them  to  enter  their 
country.  It  was  left  to  Dr.  Livingstone  to  discover  a  new 
route  to  tropical  Africa  and  make  an  entering  wedge  that 
is  likely  to  force  open  the  whole  country. 

What  little  has  been  traversed  reveals  untold  wealth 


WEALTH   OF   AFRICA.  47 

waiting  the  enterprising  hand  of  commerce  to  bring  forth 
to  civilization.  A  partial  list  of  the  products  of  this  rich 
country  will  show  what  a  mine  of  wealth  it  is  destined  to 
be:  sugar-cane,  cotton,  coffee,  oil  palm,  tobacco,  spices, 
timber,  rice,  wheat,  Indian  corn,  India  rubber,  copal,  hemp, 
ivory,  iron,  copper,  silver,  gold  and  various  other  articles 
of  commerce  are  found  here,  and  some  of  them  in  the 
greatest  profusion. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  this  vast  continent,  which  from 
creation  seemed  destined  only  to  be  the  abode  of  wild 
beasts  and  reptiles,  and  man  as  wild  and  savage  as  the 
animals  amid  which  he  dwelt,  and  when  brought  into  con- 
tact with  civilization  to  become  more  debased,  if  possible, 
by  the  bondage  in  which  he  was  kept,  contains  almost 
everything  that  civilization  needs,  and  in  the  future,  which 
now  seems  near,  will  be  traversed  by  railroads  and  steam- 
boats, and  the  solitudes  that  have  echoed  for  thousands  of 
years  to  the  howl  of  wild  beasts,  and  yells  of  equally  wild 
men,  will  resound  with  the  hum  of  peaceful  industry  and  the 
rush  and  roar  of  commerce.  The  miserable  hut  will  give  way 
to  commodious  habitations,  and  the  disgusting  rites  of 
heathenism  to  the  woi*ship  of  the  true  God.  Keaching  to 
the  temperate  zones,  north  and  south,  it  presents  every 
variety  of  climate  and  yields  every  variety  of  vegetation. 
What  effect  the  great  revolution  awaiting  this  continent 
will  have  on  the  destiny  of  the  world,  none  can  tell.  But 
he  would  be  considered  a  mad  prophet  who  would  predict 
one-half  of  the  changes  that  the  discovery  of  the  Ameri- 
can continent,  less  than  four  hundred  years  ago,  has 
wrought.  That  the  Creator  of  these  continents  of  the 
earth  had  some  design  in  letting  this,  nearly,  fourth  part 
of  our  planet  remain  in  darkness  and  mystery  and  savage 
debasement  till  now,  and  then,  by  the  effort  of  one  poor 
missionary,  cause  it  to  be  thrown  open  to  the  world,  none 
can  doubt. 


CHAPTEK  III. 


OUTLINES  OF  Livingstone's  explorations  dueing  a  period  of  nearly  thirty  years— first 

EXPLORATION— CROSSES  THE  CONTINENT  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST— HIS  SECOND  EXPEDITION— THE 
LAST— HIS  SUPPOSED  DEATH— SYMPATHY  FOR  HIM— INDIFFERENCE  OF  THE  BRITISH  GOVERN- 
MENT TO  HIS  FATE— BENNETT'S  BOLD  RESOLUTION  TO  SEND  STANLEY  AFTER  HIM. 


WE  do  not  design  to  give  an  account  of  the  many  ex- 
plorations of  Africa,  from  Mungo  Park  down,  which 
have  been  made  to  gratify  curiosity,  or  the  spirit  of  adven- 
ture, or  for  fame,  or  even  in  the  interest  of  science,  or  to 
increase  our  geographical  knowledge,  but  confine  ourselves 
to  those  only  which  have  had  for  their  great  end  the 
destruction  of  the  slave  trade  and  the  regeneration  of 
Africa.  As  Livingstone  originated  this  philanthropic 
spirit,  and  lifted  the  expeditions  to  explore  Central  Africa 
to  a  higluer  plane  than  they  had  ever  before  occupied,  till 
finally  they  became  national,  and  hence  have  assumed  an 
importance  they  never  before  possessed,  it  is  not  only 
proper,  but  necessary  to  a  full  understanding  of  these  ex- 
plorations, that  a  brief  account  or  outline  of  his  flerculean 
labors  should  be  given. 

He  was  born  in  1815,  so  that  if  alive  now  would  be  near 
his  threescore  and  ten.  Educated  as  a  physician  and  de- 
signing, originally,  to  make  this  profession  an  entering 
wedge  to  his  career  as  a  missionary  in  China,  he  having 
changed  his  purpose,  embarked  at  the  age  of  twenty-five 
as  a  missionary  to  South  Africa,  intending  to  spend  his  life 
among  the  wuld  tribes  that  bordered  on  the  English  settle- 
ments there.     This  very  simple  and  by  no  means  extraor- 

43 


Livingstone's  commencement.  49 

dinary  step  fixed  his  destiny,  and,  to  all  human  appearances, 
has  changed  the  destiny  of  Africa;  and  though  he  is  dead, 
the  movement  he  started  will  go  on  widening  and  deepen- 
ing, controlling  the  fate  of  millions,  till  time  shall  end. 
He  located  himself  among  a  tribe  in  the  Baknona  country, 
over  which  a  noted  and  able  chieftain  named  Sechele  ruled 
wath  arbitrary  power.  For  nine  years  he  labored  and  ex- 
plored in  this  section  of  the  country,  learning  the  various 
dialects  and  customs  and  manners  of  the  people,  and  thus 
preparing  himself  unconsciously  for  the  greater  work 
before  him. 

Nine  years  after,  he  went  to  Cape  Town  and  entered  on 
his  missionary  labors.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that, 
though  at  this  time,  the  tribes  that  Livingstone  visited  and 
dwelt  among  were  strangers  to  white  men,  yet  they  had 
little  of  the  hatred  of  the  stranger  that  characterized  the 
tribes  of  Central  Africa.  They  had  never  been  so  heavily 
cursed  by  the  slave  hunter  or  trader,  and  hence  had  less 
occasion  for  animosity  and  suspicion.  The  missionary, 
with  his  wife  and  children,  trusted  themselves  fearlessly  to 
the  generosity  of  these  savage  chiefs,  many  of  whom  in 
intelligence,  sagacity  and  magnanimity,  resembled  Red 
Jacket,  Tecumseh  and  others  among  our  Indian  tribes. 
They  were  received  with  distinguished  hospitality  and 
treated  with  royal  generosity. 

About  this  time  his  explorations  of  the  African  conti» 
nent  began.  Tw^o  travelers  having  arrived  at  his  station, 
he  started  with  them  to  visit  Lake  Ngami,  a  sheet  of  water 
between  one  and  two  hundred  miles  in  circumference,  that 
had  never  before  been  visited  by  a  white  man.  They  set  out 
on  the  1st  of  June,  and  arrived  on  its  solitary  shores  on  the 
1st  of  August,  having  been  two  months  on  the  route,  and 
everywhere  treated  with  kindness.  His  chief  object  in  visit- 
ing the  lake  was  to  see  a  great  chief,  Lekeletu,  who  was  said 


50  Ilf   SIGHT   OF   INONGO. 

to  live  some  hundred  and  fifty  miles  beyond  it.  Livingstone 
was  received  and  entertained  by  liim  cordially.  Consulting 
with  this  able  and  generous  chief,  Livingstone  determined 
to  push  west  to  the  coast,  and  in  November,  1853,  the  two, 
with  quite  a  train  and  numerous  guides,  set  out,  and,  thanks 
to  the  precautions  and  orders  of  Sekeletu,  were  received 
by  the  various  tribes  through  which  they  passed  with  great 
hos[)itality.  For  three  months  he  toiled  onward  across 
rivers  and  through  swamps,  his  only  companions  being 
wild  barbarians,  who,  notwithstanding  their  idolatrous 
worship  and  heathenish  rites,  treated  this  solitary  white 
man,  who  had  put  himself  completely  in  their  power,  as 
an  honored  guest.  The  Inongo  Valley,  on  which  he  now 
entered,  was  under  the  sway  of  the  Portuguese,  though 
several  hundred  miles  from  the  Atlantic.  The  scenery 
through  which  he  had  passed  had  been  tame  and  uninter- 
esting, with  nothing  to  alleviate  the  monotony  of  the  way 
but  the  curious  customs  and  wild  antics  of  the  savages 
through  whose  territory  he  passed.  But  he  was  filled  with 
rapture  when  he  came  in  sight  of  Inongo,  lying  in  a  beauti- 
ful valley  below  him.     He  thus  describes  it: 

"It  is  about  one  hundred  miles  broad,  clothed  with  dark 
forest,  except  where  the  light  green  grass  covers  meadow- 
lands  on  the  Inongo  Kiver,  which  here  and  tliere  glances 
in  the  sun  as  it  wends  its  way  to  the  north.  The  opposite 
side  of  this  great  valley  appears  like  a  range  of  lofty 
mountains,  and  the  descent  into  it  about  a  mile,  which, 
measured  perpendicularly,  may  be  from  one  thousand  to 
twelve  hundred  feet.  Emerging  from  the  gloomy  forest  of 
Loanda,  this  magnificent  prospect  made  us  all  feel  as  if  a 
weight  had  been  lifted  from  our  eyelids.  A  cloud  was 
passing  across  the  middle  of  the  valley,  from  which  rolling 
thunder  pealed,  while  above  all  was  glorious  sunlight.  It 
was  one  of  those  scenes  which,  from  its  unexpectedness 


A   LOVELY   VALLEY.  51 

and  great  contrast  to  all  that  has  gone  before,  makes  it 
seem  more  like  a  vision  than  a  reality,  and  one  wonders 
that  so  much  beauty  and  loveliness  were  created  only  for 
wild  beasts  or  wilder  men  to  gaze  upon." 

He  reached  Loanda  in  April,  having  made  the  journey 
to  the  coast  from  the  Mokololo  district  in  four  months. 
He  now  took  the  bold  determination  to  cross  the  continent, 
from  west  to  east.  It  must  be  remembered  that  this  daring 
expedition  was  undertaken  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago, 
without  the  companionship  of  a  single  white  man.  It  is  true, 
he  crossed  the  southern  portion  of  Africa,  yet  he  started 
some  two  hundred  miles  north  of  where  Cameron  recently 
came  out.  Instead  of  working  northerly,  his  course  lay 
somewhat  to  the  south-east.  For  a  year  he  was  now  locked 
up  in  these  unknown  wilds,  and  reaching  the  water-shed  of 
the  continent,  he  discovered  the  Zambezi,  in  the  heart  of 
Africa,  and  traced  it  down  to  its  mouth.  The  results  of 
this  remarkable  expedition  have  been  long  given  to  the 
world.  But  it  will  be  seen  at  a  glance  that  this  formed,  as 
it  were,  a  base  line  for  all  his  future  explorations,  and  gave 
that  impetus  to  explorations  of  the  continent  which  are  fast 
laying  it  open  to  the  civilized  world. 

This  brief  summary  gives  a  very  inadequate  idea  of  Mr. 
Livingstone's  labors  in  Africa  up  to  this  time.  He  had 
now  been  sixteen  years  among  its  wild  tribes,  acting  as 
missionary,  statesman  and  scientific  explorer.  He  had 
wrought  marvelous  changes  among  them,  and  started  them 
forward  toward  civilization. 

He  now  returned  to  England,  reaching  there  on  the  12th 
of  December,  where  the  story  of  his  wonderful  career  was 
received  with  great  admiration  by  people  of  every  class. 
He  published  an  extended  account  of  his  work  and  explor- 
ations in  Africa,  which  was  warmly  received  on  both  sides 
of  the  Atlantic. 


53  THE  ENGLISH  PEOPLE  AEOUSED. 

Having  fairly  launched  liis  book  in  the  world,  he  now 
determined  to  return  to  Africa,  but  not,  as  before,  alone. 
He  did  not  go  out  as  a  missionary,  but  as  consul  to  Killi- 
mane,  with  the  understanding  that  his  duties  were  in  no 
way  to  conflict  with  his  explorations.  We  do  not  design 
to  give  an  account  of  the  second  expedition,  which,  among 
other  things,  beforeit  ended,  shed  new  light  on  the  sources 
of  the  Nile  and  the  waters  that  flow  east  into  the  Indian 
Ocean. 

He  left  in  1858,  and  was  gone  some  four  years.  He 
then  returned  to  England.  In  the  meantime,  stimulated 
by  his  success  and  fame,  several  expeditions  started  up  the 
Nile,  by  which  the  vast  lake,  or,  as  it  might  be  termed,  inland 
sea  system  around  and  beyond  the  head  waters  of  the  Nile 
w^as  brought  to  light,  as  well  as  all  the  diabolical  cruelties  of 
the  slave  trade,  which  was  carried  on  by  Egypt  and  the 
Portuguese  settlements  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa.  Living- 
stone, by  his  vivid  descriptions  of  its  horrors,  and  loud  and 
righteous  outcry  against  it,  had  aroused  the  English  people, 
and  created  such  a  public  sentiment  that  the  English  gov- 
ernment felt  compelled  to  move  in  the  matter;  so  that  while 
Livingstone  was  preparing  for  a  third  expedition,  or  rather 
continuing  this  last,  which  had  only  been  intermitted  (for 
his  researches  up  the  Zambezi  and  Raverna  Rivers  were 
preparatory  to  his  great  undertaking  to  explore  the  sources 
of  the  Nile  and  the  great  lake  region,  near  which  he  was 
to- die),  a  movement  was  on  foot  to  suppress  the  slave  trade 
in  Africa.  England  and  the  United  States  having  declared 
it  piracy,  and  kept  their  cruisers  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa, 
had  effectually  suppressed  it  there.  If,  therefore,  it  could  be 
suppressed  by  way  of  Egypt,  the  Portuguese  settlements 
alone  on  the  east  coast  could  carry  it  on,  and  hence  its 
doom  be  sealed,  and  this  curse  of  centuries  to  Africa  be 
ended.     There  was  but  one  way  to  do  this,  to  enlist  the 


LIVINGSTONE   EEPOETED    DEAD.  53 

sympathies,  or  at  least  secure  the  co-operation  of  the 
khedive  of  Egypt  in  the  great  undertaking.  No  matter 
whether  his  claims  were  founded  in  justice  or  not,  no  one 
had  a  better  one  to  the  vast  unknown  regions  of  tropical 
Africa  than  he.  Certainly  no  one  had  the  power  to  enforce 
that  claim  as  well  as  he. 

The  khedive  is  the  most  intelligent  ruler  that  Egypt 
ever  had,  of  liberal  principles,  and  in  sympathy  with  all 
the  great  improvements  going  on  in  the  civilized  world. 
Though  the  plan  was  obnoxious  to  a  great  portion  of  his  sub- 
jects who  lived  by  the  slave  trade,  he  at  once  entered  into  it 
and  agreed  to  stop,  with  her  assistance,  the  traffic  in  human 
beings  throughout  his  kingdom.  Livingstone  at  the  time  was 
not  where  he  could  hear  of  this  first  great  result  of  his  expo- 
sure of  the  iniquities  of  the  slave  trade  in  Africa.  He  was 
swallowed  up  in  the  wilds  of  that  continent ;  in  fact,  was 
by  most  men  supposed  to  be  dead,  and  his  body  mouldering, 
unburied,  on  the  field  of  his  last  great  exploration.  He 
had  been  three  years  absent  from  England.  Determined 
to  explore  the  great  water-shed  of  Central  Africa,  he  had 
sailed  for  Zanzibar  in  August,  1865,  and  thence,  in  March 
of  the  next  year,  with  a  small  band,  composed  of  Sepoys 
and  others,  left  that  island,  and  in  the  last  of  the  month 
struck  inland,  proceeding  by  the  Kiver  Rohenna.  He  was 
helrd  from,  from  time  to  time,  until  at  last  the  leader  of 
his  Johanna  men,  arrived  at  Zanzibar  and  reported  that  he 
had  been  killed  almost  at  the  outset  of  his  journey.  The 
particulars  of  his  death  were  related  with  great  minuteness 
of  detail — how  the  fight  commenced,  and  that  after  Living- 
stone had  shot  two  of  the  natives,  he  was  struck  from  behind 
and  shot  dead.  The  news  was  received  with  feelings  of 
gloom  and  sorrow  throughout  the  civilized  world.  This 
brave,  true-hearted  Christian  man,  whom  all  the  native 
chiefs  who  knew  him  had  learned  to  love,  had  at  last  fallen 


54  ANOTHER   FALSE   RUMOE. 

by  the  hand  of  those  he  came  to  benefit.  But  at  length 
there  came  letters  from  him,  dated  far  in  advance  of  the 
place  where  it  was  said  he  was  murdered.  Time  passed  on, 
and  at  long  intervals  faint  echoes  came  out  of  the  African 
solitudes,  of  a  white  man  toiling  all  alone  in  those  desolate 
regions.  At  length  came  another  report  that  the  news  of 
Livingstone's  previous  death  was  false,  for  he  had  recently 
been  killed.  But  the  former  false  rumor  caused  this  to  be 
discredited,  and  sympathy  was  again  aroused  for  this 
undaunted  solitary  Englishman,  and  wonder  was  expressed 
that  his  government  would  do  nothing  to  relieve  him.  At 
length,  Mr.  Bennett,  of  the  Herald,  determined,  at  his  own 
expense,  to  find  this  daring  explorer  if  he  was  alive,  and  if 
dead,  bring  his  bones  out  to  his  friends.  He  fitted  out,  as 
we  have  seen,  an  expedition  at  the  cost  of  $25,000,  and 
placed  Stanley  at  its  head,  second  only  to  Livingstone  for 
daring,  perseverance  and  an  indomitable  will.  At  first  he 
inclined  to  ascend  the  Nile  and  push  forward  in  the  direc- 
tion toward  which  it  was  known  that  Livingstone  had  de- 
termined to  push  his  researches,  but  finding  that  Baker  was 
to  move  in  that  direction,  he  at  last  decided  to  proceed  to 
Zanzibar,  and  taking  the  direction  in  which  Livingstone 
had  gone,  three  years  before,  follow  him  up  till  he  fonnd 
him  or  the  spot  where  he  died,  or  was  killed. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

STANLEY'S  SEARCH  FOR  LIVINGSTONE— LANDS  AT  ZANZIBAR— ORGANIZES  HIS  EXPEDITION— THE 
START— STANLEY'S  FEELINGS— THE  MARCH— ITS  DIFFICULTIES— MEN  _SICK— DELAYS— MEETING 
WITH  A  CHIEF— DIALOGUE  ON  THE  BURIAL  OF  A  JIORSE— LOSS  OF  HIS  BAY  HORSE— SICKNESS 
AND  DESERTION— TERRIBLE  TRAVELING — A  HOSPITABLE  CHIEF— A  GANG  OF  SLAVES— AFRICAN 
BELLES— A  LUDICROUS  SPECTACLE— A  QUEER  SUPERSTITION— PUNISHMENT  OF  A  DESERTER— A 
LUDICROUS  CONTRAST— A  BEAUTIFUL  COUNTRY— NEWS  FROM  LIVINGSTONE— A  WALLED  TOWN — 
STANLEY  ATTACKED  WITH  FEVER. 

WE  have  seen  in  a  former  chapter  how  suddenly  Mr. 
Stanley  was  recalled  from  Spain,  to  take  charge  of 
an  expedition  to  go  in  search  of  Livingstone — how  he  was 
sent  to  see  Baker,  who  was  about  to  go  in  toward  him  from 
the  north,  and  how  he  was  sent  east  first.  But  the  time 
came  at  last  to  enter  upon  his  work  in  earnest,  and  he  sailed 
from  Bombay,  on  the  12th  of  October,  for  Zanzibar. 

On  board  the  barque  was  a  Scotchman,  named  Farquhar, 
acting  as  first  mate.  Taking  a  fancy  to  him,  he  engaged 
him  to  accompany  him  on  his  expedition  to  find  Living- 
stone. 

Nearly  three  months  later,  on  the  6th  of  January,  ne 
landed  at  Zanzibar,  one  of  the  most  fruitful  islands  of  the 
Indian  Ocean,  rejoicing  in  a  sultan  of  its  own.  It  is  the 
great  mart  to  which  come  the  ivory,  gum,  copal,  hides,  etc., 
and  the  slaves  of  the  interior.  Stanley  immediately  set 
about  preparing  for  his  expedition.  The  first  thing  to 
decide  upon,  was : 

"  How  much  money  is  required  ? 

"  How  many  pigeons  as  carriers  ? 

55 


OQ  GOODS  THE  ONLY   COIN. 

"  How  many  soldiers  ? 

"  How  much  cloth  ? 

"  How  many  beads  ? 

"  How  much  wire  ? 

"  What  kinds  of  cloth  is  required  for  the  different 
tribes?" 

After  trying  to  figure  this  out  by  himself,  from  the  books 
of  other  travelers,  he  decided  to  consult  an  Arab  merchant, 
who  had  fitted  out  several  caravans  for  the  interior.  In  a 
very  short  time  he  obtained  more  information  than  he  had 
acquired  from  books  in  his  long  three  months'  voyage  from 
India. 

Money  is  of  no  use  in  the  heart  of  Africa.  Goods  of 
various  kinds  are  the  only  coin  that  can  purchase  what 
the  traveler  needs,  or  pay  the  tribute  that  is  exacted  by  the 
various  tribes.  He  found  that  forty  yards  of  cloth  would 
keep  one  hundred  men  supplied  with  food  per  day.  Thus, 
three  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty  yards  of  three  differ- 
ent kinds  of  cloths  would  support  one  hundred  men  twelve 
months.  Next  to  cloths,  beads  were  the  best  currency  of 
the  interior.  Of  these  he  purchased  twenty  sacks  of  eleven 
varieties  in  color  and  shape.  Next  came  the  brass  wire, 
of  which  he  purchased  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds,  of 
about  the  thickness  of  telegraph  wire.  Next  came  the 
provisions  and  outfit  of  implements  that  would  be  needed — 
medicines,  and  arms,  and  donkeys,  and,  last  of  all,  men. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Shaw,  a  native  of  England,  who 
came  there  as  third  mate  of  an  American  ship,  from  which 
he  was  discharged,  applied  for  work,  and  was  engaged  by 
Stanley  in  getting  what  he  needed  together,  and  to  accom- 
pany him  on  his  expedition.  He  agreed  to  give  him  $300 
per  annum,  and  placed  him  next  in  rank  to  Farquhar.  He 
then  cast  about  for  an  escort  of  twenty  men.  Five  who 
had  accompanied  Speke,  and  were  called  "  Speke's  Faith- 


Stanley's  equipment  completed.  59 

fuls,"  among  wHom,  as  a  leader,  was  a  man  named  Bombay, 
were  first  engaged.  He  soon  got  together  eighteen  more 
men,  as  soldiers,  who  were  to  receive  $3  a  month.  Each 
was  to  have  a  flint-lock  musket,  and  be  provided  with  two 
hundred  rounds  of  ammunition.  Bombay  was  to  receive 
$80  a  year,  and  the  other  five  faithfuls  $40. 

Knowing  that  he  was  to  enter,  and,  perhaps,  cross  a 
region  of  vast  inland  lakes,  much  delay  and  travel  might 
be  avoided  by  a  large  boat,  and  so  he  purchased  one  .and 
stripped  it  of  all  its  covering,  to  make  the  transportation 
easier.  He  also  had  a  cart  constructed  to  fit  the  goat-paths 
of  the  interior  and  to  aid  in  transportation. 

When  all  his  purchases  were  completed  and  collected 
together,  he  found  that  the  combined  weight  would  be 
about  six  tons.  His  cart  and  twenty  donkeys  would  not 
sufiice  for  this,  and  so,  the  last  thing  of  all,  was  to  procure 
carriers,  or  pagosi,  as  they  were  called.  He  himself  was 
presented  with  a  blooded  bay  horse  by  an  American  mer- 
chant, at  Zanzibar,  named  Gordhue,  formerly  of  Salem. 

On  the  4th  of  February,  or  twenty-eight  days  from  his 
arrival  at  Zanzibar,  Mr.  Stanley's  equipment  was  com- 
pleted, and  he  set  sail  for  Bagomayo,  twenty-five  miles  dis- 
tant on  the  mainland — from  which  all  the  caravans  started 
for  the  interior,  and  where  he  was  to  hire  his  one  hundred 
and  forty  or  more  pogasis  or  carriers.  He  was  immedi- 
ately surrounded  with  men  who  attempted  in  every  way  to 
fleece  him,  and  he  was  harassed,  and  betrayed,  and  hin- 
dered on  every  side.  But,  at  length,  all  difficulties  were 
overcome — the  goods  packed  in  bales  weighing  seventy-two 
pounds — the  force  divided  into  five  caravans,  and  in  six 
weeks  after  he  entered  Bagomayo  he  was  ready  to  start. 
The  first  caravan  had  departed  February  18th ;  the  second, 
February  21st ;  the  third,  February  25th ;  the  fourth,  on 
March  11th,  and  the  last  on  March  21st.     All  told,  the 


60  STARTING   IN   HIGH  SPIRITS. 

number  comprised,  in  all  the  caravans  connected  with  the 
"  Herald  Expedition,"  one  hundred  and  ninety. 

It  was  just  seventy-three  days  after  Stanley  landed  at 
Zanzibar,  that  he  passed  out  of  Bagomayo,  with  his  last 
caravan,  on  his  bay  horse,  accompanied  by  twenty-eight 
carriers  and  twelve  soldiers,  under  Bombay,  while  his  Arab 
boy,  Selim,  the  interpreter,  had  charge  of  the  cart  and  its 
load. 

Out  through  a  narrow  lane,  shaded  by  trees,  they  passed, 
the  American  flag  flying  in  front,  and  all  in  the  highest 
spirits.  Stanley'  had  left  behind  him  the  quarreling, 
cheating  Arabs,  and  all  his  troubles  with  them.  The  sun 
speeding  to  the  west,  was  beckoning  him  on ;  his  heart 
beat  high  with  hope  and  ambition ;  he  had  taken  a  new 
departure  in  life,  and  with  success  would  come  the  renown 
he  so  ardently  desired.  He  says,  "loveliness  glowed 
around  me ;  I  saw  fertile  fields,  rich  vegetation,  strange 
trees;  I  heard  the  cry  of  cricket  and  pewit,  and  jubi- 
lant sounds  of  many  insects,  all  of  which  seemed  to  tell 
me,  '  you  are  started.'  What  could  I  do  but  lift  up  my 
face  toward  the  pure,  glowing  sky,  and  cry,  '  God  be 
thanked?'" 

The  first  camp  was  three  miles  and  a  half  distant.  The 
next  three  days  were  employed  in  comj^leting  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  long  land  journey  and  for  meeting  the 
Masike,  now  very  near,  and  on  the  4th,  a  start  was  made 
for  Unyanyembe,  the  great  half-way  house,  which  he  re- 
solved to  reach  in  three  months. 

The  road  was  a  mere  foot-path,  leading  through  fields 
in  which  naked  women  were  at  work,  Avho  looked  up  and 
laughed  and  giggled  as  they  passed.  Passing  on,  they  en- 
tered an  open  forest,  abounding  in  deer  and  anteloj^e. 
Beaching  the  turbid  Kingemi,  a  bridge  of  felled  trees  was 
soon  made;    Stanley,  in  the  meantime    amusing  himself 


G2  A   TERRIBLE    COMMOTION. 

Leaving  it  to  rest  in  his  own  camp,  lie  pushed  on  five 
miles  to  the  village  of  Kingaru,  set  in  a  deep,  damp,  pes- 
tiferous-looking hollow,  surrounded  by  pools  of  water.  To 
add  to  the  gloominess  of  the  scene,  a  pouring  rain  set  in, 
which  Boon  filled  their  camping-place  with  lakelets  and 
rivulets  of  water.  Toward  evening  the  rain  ceased,  and 
the  villagers  began  to  pour  in  with  their  vendibles.  Fore- 
most was  the  chief,  bringing  with  him  three  measures  of 
matama  and  a  half  a  measure  of  rice,  which  he  begged 
Stanley  to  accept.  The  latter  saw  through  the  trickery  of 
this  meagre  present,  in  offering  which  the  chief  called  him 
the  "rich  sultan."  Stanley  asked  him  why,  if  he  was  a  rich 
sultan,  the  chief  of  Kingaru  did  not  bring  him  a  rich  23re- 
sent,  that  he  might  give  him  a  rich  one  in  return.  "Ah," 
replied  the  blear-eyed  old  fox,  "  Kingaru  is  poor,  there  is 
no  matama  in  the  village."  "Well,"  said  Stanley,  "if 
there  is  no  matama  in  the  village,  I  can  give  but  a  yard  of 
cloth,"  which  would  be  equivalent  to  his  present.  Foiled 
in  his  sharp  practice  the  chief  had  to  be  content  with 
this. 

On  the  1st  of  April,  he  lost  his  gray  horse.  The  burial 
of  the  carcass,  not  far  from  the  encampment,  raised  a  ter- 
rible commotion  in  the  village,  and  the  inhabitants  assem- 
bled in  consultation  as  to  how  much  they  must  charge  him 
for  burying  a  horse  in  their  village  without  permission,  and 
soon  the  wrinkled  old  chief  was  also  at  the  camp,  and  the 
following  dialogue  took  place,  which  is  given  as  an  illus- 
tration of  the  character  of  the  people  with  whom  he  was 
to  have  a  year's  trading  intercourse : 

"White  Man — "Are  you  the  great  chief  of  Kingaru?" 

Kingaru — "  Huh-uh — yes." 

W.  M.— "The  great,  great  chief?" 

Kingaru — "Huh-uh — yes." 

W.  M. — How  many  soldiers  have  you  ?" 


THE    DIFFICULTY    SETTLED.  63 

Kingaru— "Why?" 

W.  M. — "How  many  fighting  men  have  you?" 

Kingaru — "  None." 

W.  M. — "  Oh !  I  thought  you  might  have  a  thousand 
men  with  you,  by  your  going  to  fine  a  strong  white  man 
who  has  plenty  of  guns  and  soldiers  two  doti  for  burying 
a  dead  horse." 

Kingaru  (rather  perplexed) — "No;  I  have  no  soldiers. 
I  have  only  a  few  young  men." 

W.  M. — "  Why  do  you  come  and  make  trouble,  then  ?" 

Kingaru — "It  was  not  I;  it  was  my  brothers  who  said 
to  me,  '  Come  here,  come  here,  Kingaru,  see  what  the  white 
man  has  done !  Has  he  not  taken  possession  of  your  soil, 
in  that  he  has  put  his  horse  into  your  ground  without  your 
permission?  Come,  go  to  him  and  see  by  what  right! 
Therefore  have  I  come  to  ask  you  who  gave  you  permission 
to  use  my  soil  for  a  burying-ground  ?" 

W.  M. — "I  want  no  man's  permission  to  do  what  is 
right.  My  horse  died ;  had  I  left  him  to  fester  and  stink 
in  your  valley,  sickness  would  visit  your  village,  your  water 
would  become  unwholesome,  and  caravans  would  not  stop 
here  for  trade;  for  they  would  say,  'This  is  an  unlucky 
spot,  let  us  go  away.'  But  enough  said ;  I  understand  you 
to  say  you  do  not  want  him  buried  in  your  ground ;  the 
error  I  have  fallen  into  is  easily  put  right.  This  minute 
my  soldiers  shall  dig  him  out  again  and  cover  up  the  soil 
as  it  was  before,  and  the  horse  shall  be  left  where  he  died." 
(Then  shouting  to  Bombay).  "Ho,  Bombay,  take  soldiers 
with  jeinbes  to  dig  my  horse  out  of  the  ground ;  drag  him 
to  where  he  died  and  make  everything  ready  for  a  march 
to-morrow  morning." 

Kingaru,  his  voice  considerably  higher  and  his  head 
moving  to  and  fro  with  emotion,  cries  out,  "  Akuna,  akuna, 
Bana" — no,  no,  master    "Let  not  the  white  man  get  angry. 


64  DEATH   OF   HIS   BAY   HOUSE. 

The  horse  is  dead  and  now  lies  buried ;  let  him  remain  so, 
since  he  is  already  there,  and  let  us  be  friends  again." 

The  matter  had  hardly  been  settled,  when  Stanley  heard 
deep  groans  issuing  from  one  of  the  animals.  On  inquiry, 
he  found  that  they  came  from  the  bay  horse.  He  took  a 
lantern  and  visited  him,  staying  all  night,  hoping  to  save 
his  life.  It  was  in  vain — in  the  morning  he  died,  leaving 
him  now  without  any  horse,  which  reduced  him  to  donkey 
riding.  Three  days  passed,  and  the  lagging  caravan  had 
not  come  up.  In  the  meantime,  one  of  his  carriers  deserted, 
while  sickness  attacked  the  camp,  and  out  of  his  twenty- 
five  men,  ten  were  soon  on  the  sick  list.  On  the  4th, 
the  caravan  came  up,  and  on  the  following  morning  was 
dispatched  forward,  th-e  leader  being  spurred  on  with  the 
promise  of  a  liberal  reward  if  he  hurried  to  Unyanyembe. 
The  next  morning,  to  rouse  his  people,  he  beat  an  alarm  on 
a  tin  pan,  and  before  sunrise  they  were  on  the  march,  the 
villagers  rushing  like  wolves  into  the  deserted  camp  to  pick 
up  any  rags  or  refuse  left  behind.  The  march  of  fifteen 
miles  to  Imbike  showed  a  great  demoralization  in  his  men, 
many  of  them  not  coming  up  till  nightfall.  One  of  the 
carriers  had  deserted  on  the  way,  taking  with  him  a  quan- 
tity of  cloth  and  beads.  The  next  morning,  before  start- 
ing, men  were  sent  in  pursuit  of  him.  They  made  that 
day,  the  8th,  but  ten  miles  to  Msuwa.  Though  the  journey 
was  short,  it  was  the  most  fatiguing  one  of  all.  As  it  gives 
a  vivid  description  of  the  difiiculties  experienced  in  trav- 
eling through  this  country,  we  quote  his  own  language : 

"  It  was  one  continuous  jungle,  except  three  interjacent 
glades  of  narrow  limits,  which  gave  us  three  breathing 
pauses  in  the  dire  task  of  jungle-traveling.  The  odor 
emitted  from  its  fell  plants  was  so  rank,  so  pungently  acrid, 
and  the  miasma  from  its  decayed  vegetation  so  dense,  that 
I  expected  every  moment  to  see  myself  and  men  fall  down 


COMING   TO    GRIEF.  Qo 

in  jDaroxysms  of  acute  fever.  Happily  this  evil  was  not 
added  to  that  of  loading  and  unloading  the  frequently- 
falling  packs.  Seven  soldiers  to  attend  seventeen  laden 
donkeys,  were  entirely  too  small  a  number  while  passing 
through  a  jungle;  for  while  the  path  is  but  a  foot  wide, 
with  a  wall  of  thorny  plants  and  creepers  bristling  on  each 
side,  and  projecting  branches  darting  across  it,  with  knots 
of  spiky  twigs,  stiff  as  spike-nails,  ready  to  catch  and  hold 
anything  above  four  feet  in  height,  it  is  but  reasonable  to 
suj^pose  that  donkeys,  standing  four  feet  high,  with  loads 
measuring  across,  from  bale  to  bale,  four  feet,  would  come 
to  grief. 

"  This  grief  was  of  frequent  recurrence  here,  causing  us 
to  pause  every  few  minutes  for  re-arrangements.  So  often 
had  this  task  to  be  performed,  that  the  men  got  perfectly 
discouraged,  and  had  to  be  spoken  to  sharply  before  they 
set  to  work.  By  the  time  I  reached  Msuwa,  there  was  no- 
body with  me  and  the  ten  donkeys  I  drove  but  Mabruk, 
the  Little,  who,  though  generally  stolid,  stood  to  his  work 
like  a  man.  Bombay  and  Uledi  were  far  behind  with  the 
most  jaded  donkeys.  Shaw  was  in  charge  of  the  cart,  and 
his  experiences  were  most  bitter,  as  he  informed  me  he  had 
expended  a  whole  vocabulary  of  stormy  abuse  known  to 
sailors,  and  a  new  one  which  he  had  invented  ex  tempore. 
He  did  not  arrive  until  two  o'clock  next  morning,  and  was 
completely  worn  out.  Truly,  I  doubt  if  the  most  pious 
divine,  in  traveling  through  that  long  jungle,  under  those 
circumstances,  with  such  oft-recurring  annoyances,  Sisy- 
phean labor,  could  have  avoided  cursing  his  folly  for  com- 
ing hither." 

A  halt  was  made  here,  that  men  and  animals  might  re- 
cuperate. The  chief  of  this  village  was  "  a  white  man  in 
everything  but  color,"  and  brought  him  the  choicest  mut- 
ton.    He  and  his  subjects  were  intelligent  enough  to  com- 


66  THE   BELLES   OF   KISEMO. 

prehend  the  utility  of  his  breech-loading  guns,  and  by  their 
gestures  illustrated  their  comprehension  of  the  deadly  effects 
of  those  weapons  in  battle. 

On  the  10th,  somewhat  recuperated,  the  caravan  left  this 
hospitable  village,  and  crossed  a  beautiful  little  plain,  with 
a  few  cultivated  fields,  from  which  the  tillers  stared  in  won- 
der at  the  unwonted  spectacle  it  presented.  But  here 
Stanley  met  one  of  those  sights  common  in  that  part  of  the 
world,  but  which,  it  is  to  be  hoped,  will  soon  be  seen  no 
more.  It  was  a  chained  slave  gang,  bound  east.  He  says  the 
slaves  did  not  appear  in  the  least  to  be  down-hearted,  on  the 
contrary,  they  were  jolly  and  gay.  But  for  the  chains, 
there  was  no  difference  between  master  and  slave.  The 
chains  were  heavy,  but  as  men  and  women  had  nothing 
else  to  carry,  being  entirely  naked,  their  weight,  he  says, 
could  not  have  been  insupportable.  He  camped  at  10 
A.  M.,  and  fired  two  guns,  to  show  they  w^ere  ready  to 
trade  with  any  of  the  natives  in  the  region.  The  halting- 
place  was  Kisemo,  only  twelve  miles  from  Msuwa,  which 
was  the  centre  of  a  populous  district,  there  being  no 
less  than  five  villages  in  the  vicinity,  fortified  by  stakes 
and  thorny  abattis,  as  formidable,  in  their  way,  as  the  old 
fosse  and  draw-bridge  of  feudal  times.  "  The  belles  of  Kise- 
mo," he  says,  "  are  of  gigantic  posterioral  23roportions,"  and 
are  "  noted  for  their  variety  in  brass  wire,  w^hich  is  wound 
in  spiral  rings  round  their  wrists  and  ankles,  and  for  the 
varieties  of  style  which  their  hisped  heads  exhibit ;  while 
their  poor  lords,  obliged  to  be  contented  with  dingy,  torn 
clouts  and  split  ears,  show  w4iat  wide  sway  Asmodeus  holds 
over  this  terrestial  sphere — for  it  must  have  been  an  un- 
happy time  when  the  hard  besieged  husbands  gave  way  be- 
fore their  hotly-pressing  spouses.  Besides  these  brassy  orna- 
ments on  their  extremities,  the  women  of  Kisemo  frequently 
wear  lengthy  necklaces,  which  run  in  rivers  of  colors  down 


OUKIOUS   NATIVE  SUPERSTITION.  67 

their  black  bodies."  But  a  more  comical  picture  is  seldom 
presented  than  that  of  one  of  those  highly-dressed  females, 
"  with  their  huge  posterior  development,  while  grinding  out 
corn.  This  is  done  in  a  machine  very  much  like  an  old- 
fashioned  churn,  except  the  dasher  becomes  a  pestle  and 
the  churn  a  mortar.  Swaying  with  the  pestle,  as  it  rises 
and  falls,  the  breast  and  posteriors  correspond  to  the  strokes 
of  the  dasher  in  a  droll  sort  of  sing-song,  which  gave  to  the 
whole  exhibition  the  drollest  effect  imaginable." 

A  curious  superstition  of  the  natives  was  brought  to  light 
here  by  Shaw  removing  a  stone  while  putting  up  his  tent. 
As  he  did  so,  the  chief  rushed  forward,  and  putting  it  back 
in  its  place,  solemnly  stood  upon  it.  On  being  asked  w^hat 
was  the  matter,  he  carefully  lifted  it,  pointed  to  an  insect 
pinned  by  a  stick  to  the  ground,  which  he  said  had  been 
the  cause  of  a  miscarriage  of  a  female  of  the  village. 

In  the  afternoon  the  messengers  came  back  with  the 
deserter  and  all  the  stolen  goods.  Some  of  the  natives  had 
captured  him  and  were  about  to  kill  him  and  take  the 
goods,  when  they  came  up  and  claimed  both.  He  was 
given  up,  they  being  content  with  receiving  a  little  cloth 
and  beads  in  return.  Stanley,  with  great  sagacity,  caused 
him  to  be  tried  by  the  other  carriers,  who  condemned  him 
to  be  flogged.  They  were  ordered  to  carry  out  their  own 
sentence,  which  they  did  amid  the  yells  of  the  culprit. 

Before  night  a  caravan  arrived,  bringing,  among  other 
things,  a  copy  of  the  Herald,  containing  an  account  of  a 
presidential  levee  in  Washington,  in  which  the  toilets  of 
the  various  ladies  were  given.  While  engrossed  in  reading 
in  his  tent,  Stanley  suddenly  became  aware  that  his  tent- 
door  was  darkened,  and  looking  ujd,  he  saw  the  chief's 
daughters  gazing  with  wondering  eyes  on  the  great 
sheets  of  paper  he  was  scanning  so  closely.  The  sight  of 
these  naked  beauties,  glittering  in  brass  wire  and  beads, 


68  GOOD    NEWS   OF   LIVINGSTONE. 

presented  a  ludicrous  contrast  to  the  elaborately-dressed 
belles  of  whom  he  had  been  reading  in  the  paper,  and 
made  him  feel,  by  contrast,  in  what  a  different  world  he  was 
living. 

On  the  12th,  the  caravan  reached  Munondi,  on  the  Un- 
gerangeri  River.  The  country  was  0]3en  and  beautiful, 
presenting  a  natural  park,  while  the  roads  were  good, 
making  the  day's  journey  delightful.  Flowers  decked  the 
ground,  and  the  perfume  of  sweet-smelling  shrubs  filled 
the  air.  As  they  approached  the  river,  they  came  upon 
fi,elds  of  Indian  corn  and  gardens  filled  with  vegetables, 
while  stately  trees  lined  the  bank.  On  the  14th,  they 
crossed  the  river  and  entered  the  Wakami  territory.  This 
and  the  next  day  the  road  lay  through  a  charming  coun- 
try. The  day  following,  they  marched  through  a  forest 
between  two  mountains  rising  on  either  side  of  them,  and  on 
the  16th  reached  the  territory  of  Wosigahha.  As  he  ap- 
proached the  village  of  Muhalleh  he  was  greeted  with  the 
discharge  of  musketry.  It  came  from  the  fourth  caravan, 
which  had  halted  here.  Here  also  good  news  awaited  him. 
An  Arab  chief,  with  a  caravan  bound  east,  was  in  the 
place,  and  told  him  that  he  had  met  Livingstone  at  Ujiji, 
and  had  lived  in  the  next  hut  to  him  for  two  weeks.  He 
described  him  as  looking  old,  with  long,  gray  moustache 
and  beard,  just  recovered  from  illness,  and  looking  very 
wan.  He  said,  moreover,  that  he  was  fully  recovered, 
and  was  going  to  visit  a  country  called  Monyima.  This 
was  cheering  news,  indeed,  and  filled  his  heart  with  joy  and 
hope.  The  valley  here,  with  its  rich  crops  of  Indian  corn, 
was  more  like  some  parts  of  the  fertile  west  than  a  desert 
country.  But  the  character  of  the  natives  began  to  change. 
They  became  more  insolent  and  brutal,  and  accompanied 
their  requests  with  threats. 

Continuing  their  journey  along  the  valley  of  the  river, 


A   WALLED   TOWN.  69 

tliey  suddenly,  to  their  astonighment,  came  upon  a  walled 
town  containing  a  thousand  houses.  It  rose  before  them 
like  an  apparition  with  its  gates  and  towers  of  stone  and 
double  row  of  loop  holes  for  musketry.  The  fame  of  Stanley 
had  preceded  him,  being  carried  by  the  caravans  he  had 
dispatched  ahead,  and  a  thousand  or  more  of  the  inhabitants 
came  out  to  see  him.  This  fortified  town  was  established  by 
an  adventurer  famous  for  his  kidnapping  propensities.  A 
barbaric  orator,  a  man  of  powerful  strength,  and  of  cunning 
address,  he  naturally  acquired  an  ascendency  over  the  rude 
tribes  of  the  region,  and  built  him  a  capital,  and  fortified  it 
and  became  a  self-appointed  sultan.  Growing  old,  he 
changed  his  name,  which  had  been  a  terror  to  the  surround- 
ing tribes,  and  also  the  name  of  his  cajDital,  and  just  before 
death,  bequeathed  his  power  to  his  eldest  daughter,  and 
named  the  town  the  Sultana,  in  her  honor,  which  it  still 
bears.  The  various  women  and  children  hung  on  the  rear 
of  Stanley's  caravan,  filled  with  strange  curiosity  at  sight 
of  this  first  white  man  they  had  ever  seen,  but  the  searching 
sun  drove  them  back  one  by  one,  and  when  Stanley  pitched 
his  camp,  four  miles  farther  on,  he  was  unmolested.  He 
determined  to  halt  here  for  two  days  to  overhaul  his  bag- 
gage and  give  the  donkeys,  whose  backs  had  become  sore, 
time  to  recujDerate.  On  the  second  day,  he  was  attacked 
with  the  African  fever,  similar  to  the  chills  and  fever  of 
the  west  and  south-west.  He  at  once  applied  the  remedies 
used  in  the  Western  States — namely,  powerful  doses  of 
quinine,  and  in  three  days  he  pronounced   himself  well 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  RAINY  SEASON  SETS  IN— DISGUSTING  INSECTS— THE  COOK  CAUGHT  STEALING — HIS  PUNISH- 
MENT AND  FLIGHT— THE  MARCH— MEN  DISPATCHED  AFTER  THE  MISSING  COOK— THEIR  HARSH 
TREATMENT  BY  THE  SULTANA  OF  THE  WALLED  TOWN— A  HARD  MARCH— CROSSING  THE 
MAKATA  RIVER— THE  RAINY  SEASON  ENDED— FIVE  MILES  OF  •WADING — AN  ENCHANTING 
PROSPECT— REACHES  HIS  THIRD  CARAVAN,  AND  FINDS  IT  DEMORALIZED — SHAW,  ITS  LEADER, 
A  DRUNKEN  SPENDTHRIFT— DELAYS  THE  MARCH— STANLEY'S  DISPATCH  TO  HIM— LAKE 
TJGOMBO— SCENE  BETWEEN  STANLEY  AND  SHAW  AT  BREAKF.1ST,  THE  LATTER  KNOCKED 
DOWN— ATTEMPT  TO  MURDER  STANLEY— GOOD  ADVICE  OP  AN  ARAB  SHEIKH— A  FEAST— 
FARQUHAB  LEFT  BEHIND. 

HE  had  now  traveled  one  hundred  and  nineteen  miles 
in  fourteen  marches,  occupying  one  entire  month 
lacking  one  day,  and  making,  on  an  average,  four  miles  a 
day.  This  was  slow  work.  The  rainy  season  now  set  in, 
and  day  after  day  it  was  a  regular  down-pour.  Stanley 
was  compelled  to  halt,  while  disgusting  insects,  beetles, 
bugs,  wasps,  centipedes,  worms  and  almost  every  form  of 
the  lower  animal  life,  took  possession  of  hi?  tent,  and  gave 
him  the  first  real  taste  of  African  life. 

On  the  fifth  morning  (the  23d  of  April),  he  says  the 
rain  held  up  for  a  short  time,  and  he  prepared  to  cross  the 
river,  now  swollen  and  turbid.  The  bridge  over  which  he 
carried  his  baggage  was  of  the  most  primitive  kind,  while 
the  donkeys  had  to  swim  over.  The  passage  occupied  five 
hours,  yet  was  happily  accomplished  without  any  casualties. 

Reloading  his  baggage  and  wringing  out  his  clothes,  he 
set  out — leaving  the  river  and  following  a  path  that  led  off 
in  a  northerly  direction. 

With  his  heart  made  more  light  and  cheerful  by  being 
on  the  march  and  out  of  the  damp  and  hateful  valley,  made 

70 


PUNISHMENT   FOR  PILFERINGK  71 

still  more  hateful  by  the  disgusting  insect  life  that  filled  his 
tent,  he  ascended  to  higher  ground,  and  passing  with  his 
carav^an  through  successive  glades,  opening  one  after 
another  between  forest  clumps  of  trees  hemmed  in  distantly 
by  isolated  peaks  and  scattered  mountains.  "Now  and 
then,"  he  says,  "  as  we  crested  low  eminences,  we  caught 
sight  of  the  blue  Usagara  Mountains,  bounding  the  horizon 
westerly  and  northerly,  and  looked  down  on  a  vast  expanse 
of  plain  which  lay  between.  At  the  foot  of  the  lengthy 
slope,  well  watered  by  bubbling  springs  and  mountain  rills, 
we  found  a  comfortable  Khembi  with  well-made  huts,  which 
the  natives  call  Simbo.  It  lies  just  two  hours,  or  five  miles, 
north-west  from  the  Ungerengeri  crossing," 

We  here  get  incidentally  the  rapidity  with  which  he 
traveled,  where  the  face  of  the  country  and  the  roads  gave 
him  the  greatest  facilities  for  quick  marching,  two  "  hours' 
or  five  miles,"  he  says,  which  makes  his  best  time  two  miles 
and  a  half  an  hour.  In  this  open,  beautiful  country  no 
villages  or  settlements  could  be  seen,  though  he  was  told 
there  were  many  in  the  mountain  inclosures,  whose  inhab- 
itants were  false,  dishonest  and  murderous. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th,  as  they  were  about  to  leave 
Simbo,  his  Arab  cook  was  caught,  for  the  fifth  time,  pilfer- 
ing, and  it  being  proved  against  him,  Stanley  ordered  a 
dozen  lashes  to  be  inflicted  on  him  as  a  punishment,  and 
Shaw  was  ordered  to  administer  them.  The  blows  being 
given  through  his  clothes,  did  not  hurt  him  much,  but  the 
stern  decree  that  he,  with  his  donkey  and  baggage,  sliould 
be  expelled  from  camp  and  turned  adrift  in  the  forests  of 
Africa,  drove  him  wild  and,  leaving  donkey  and  everything 
else,  he  rushed  out  of  camp  and  started  for  the  mountains. 
Stanley,  w^ishing  only  to  frighten  him,  and,  having  no  idea 
of  leaving  the  poor  fellow  to  perish  at  the  hands  of  the 
natives,  sent  a  couple  of  his  men  to  recall  him.     But  it 


72  SERIOUS   LOSSES. 

was  of  no  use,  the  poor,  frightened  wretch  kept  on  for  the 
mountains,  and  was  soon  out  of  sight  altogether.  Believing 
he  would  think  better  of  it  and  return,  his  donkey  was 
tied  to  a  tree  near  the  camping-ground,  and  the  caravan 
started  forward,  and  passing  through  the  Makata  Valley, 
which  afterward  became  of  sorrowful  memory,  it  halted  at 
Rehenneko,  at  the  base  of  the  Usagara  Mountains,  six 
marches  distant.  This  valley  is  a  wilderness,  covered  with 
bamboo,  and  palm,  and  other  trees,  with  but  one  village  on 
its  broad  expanse,  through  which  the  harte  beast,  the  an- 
telope and  the  zebra  roam.  In  the  lower  portions,  the  mud 
was  so  deep  that  it  took  ten  hours  to  go  ten  miles,  and  they 
were  compelled  to  encamp  in  the  woods  when  but  half-way 
across.  Bombay  with  the  cart  did  not  get  in  till  near  mid- 
night, and  he  brought  the  dolorous  tale,  that  he  had  lost 
the  property  tent,  an  axe,  besides  coats,  shirts,  beads,  cloth, 
pistol  and  hatchet  and  powder.  He  said  he  had  left  them 
a  little  while  to  help  lift  the  cart  out  of  a  mud-hole  and 
during  his  absence  they  disappeared.  This  told  to  Stanley 
at  midnight  roused  all  his  wrath,  and  he  jDOured  a  perfect 
storm  of  abuse  on  the  cringing  Arab,  and  he  took  occasion 
to  overhaul  his  conduct  from  the  start.  The  cloth  if  ever 
found,  he  said,  would  be  spoiled,  the  axe,  which  would  be 
needed  at  Ujiji  to  construct  a  boat,  was  an  irreparable  loss, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  pistol,  powder  and  hatchet,  and, 
worse  than  all,  he  had  not  brought  back  the  cook,  whom 
he  knew  there  was  no  intention  to  abandon,  and  he  then 
and  there  told  him  he  would  degrade  him  from  office  and 
put  another  man  in  his  place,  and  then  dismissed  him,  with 
orders  to  return  at  daylight  and  find  the  missing  2:)roperty. 
Four  more  were  dispatched  after  the  missing  cook ;  Stanley 
halted  here  three  days  to  wait  the  return  of  his 
men.  In  the  meantime,  provisions  ran  low,  and  though 
there  was  plenty  of  game,  it  w^s  so  wild  that  but  little 


BEFORE   THE  SULTANA.  73 

could  be  obtained — he  being  able  to  secure  but  two  potfulls 
in  two  days'  shooting — these  were  quail,  grouse  and 
pigeons.  On  the  fourth  day,  becoming  exceedingly 
anxious,  he  disj^atched  Shaw  and  two  more  soldiers  after 
the  missing  men.  Toward  night  he  returned,  sick  with 
ague,  bringing  the  soldiers  with  him,  but  not  the  missing 
cook.  The  soldiers  reported  that  they  had  marched  im- 
mediately back  to  Simbo  and,  having  searched  in  vain  in 
its  vicinity  for  the  missing  man,  went  to  the  bridge  over 
the  river  to  inquire  if  he  had  crossed  there.  They  were 
told,  so  they  said,  that  a  white  donkey  had  crossed  the 
river  in  another  place  driven  by  some  AVashensi.  Believ- 
ing the  cook  had  been  murdered  by  those  men,  who  were 
making  off  with  his  projDcrty,  they  hastened  to  the  walled 
town  and  told  the  warriors  of  the  western  gate  that  two 
Washensi  must  have  passed  the  place  with  a  white  donkey, 
who  had  murdered  a  man  belonging  to  the  white  man. 
They  were  immediately  conducted  to  the  sultana,  who  had 
much  of  the  spirit  of  her  father,  to  whom  they  told  their 
story. 

"The  sultana  demanded  of  the  watchmen  of  the  towers  if 
they  had  seen  the  two  Washensi  with  the  white  donkey. 
The  watchmen  answered  in  the  affirmative,  upon  which 
she  at  once  dispatched  twenty  of  her  musketeers  in  pur- 
suit to  Muhalleh,  who  returned  before  night,  bringing  with 
them  the  two  Washensi  and  the  donkey,  with  the  cook's 
entire  kit.  The  Sultana,  who  is  evidently  possessed  of  her 
father's  energy,  with  all  his  lust  for  wealth,  had  my  mes-- 
sengers,  the  two  Washensi,  the  cook's  donkey  and  property 
at  once  brought  before  her.  The  two  Washensi  were  ques- 
tioned as  to  how  they  became  possessed  of  the  donkey  and 
such  a  store  of  Kisunga  clothes,  cloth  and  beads ;  to  which 
they  answered  that  they  had  found  the  donkey  tied  to 
a   tree  with  the   property   on   the  ground   close   to   it; 


74  SENTENCE  OF  THE  SULTANA. 

that  seeing  no  owner  or  claimant  anywhere  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, they  thought  they  had  a  right  to  it,  and  ac- 
cordingly had  taken  it  with  them.  My  soldiers  were 
then  asked  if  they  recognized  the  donkey  and  property,  to 
which  questions  they  unhesitatingly  made  answer  that 
they  did.  They  further  informed  Her  Highness  that  they 
were  not  only  sent  after  the  donkey,  but  also  after  the 
owner,  who  had  deserted  their  master's  service ;  that  they 
would  like  to  know  from  the  Washensi  what  they  had 
done  with  him.  Her  Highness  was  also  anxious  to  know 
what  the  Washensi  had  done  with  the  Hindi,  and  accord- 
ingly, in  order  to  elicit  the  fact,  she  charged  them  with 
murdering  him,  and  informed  them  she  but  wished  to 
know  what  they  had  done  with  the  body. 

"  The  Washensi  declared  most  earnestly  that  they  had 
spoken  the  truth,  that  they  had  never  seen  any  such  man 
as  described ;  and  if  the  sultana  desired,  they  would  swear 
to  such  a  statement.  Her  Highness  did  not  wish  them  to 
swear  to  what  in  her  heart  she  believed  to  be  a  lie,  but  she 
would  chain  them  and  send  them  in  charge  of  a  caravan  to 
Zanzibar  to  Lyed  Burghosh,  who  would  know  what  to  do 
with  them.  Then  turning  to  my  soldiers,  she  demanded  to 
know  why  the  Musungu  had  not  paid  the  tribute  for  which 
she  had  sent  her  chiefs.  The  soldiers  could  not  answer, 
knowing  nothing  of  such  concerns  of  their  master's.  The 
heiress  of  Kisabengo,  true  to  the  character  of  her  robber 
sire,  then  informed  my  trembling  men  that,  as  the  Musungu 
•  had  not  paid  the  tribute,  she  would  now  take  it ;  their  guns 
should  be  taken  from  them,  together  with  that  of  the  cook ; 
the  cloth  and  beads  found  on  the  donkey  she  would 
also  take,  the  Hindi's  personal  clothes  her  chiefs  should 
retain,  while  they  themselves  should  be  chained  until  the 
Musungu  himself  should  return  and  take  them  by  force. 

"And  as  she  threatened,  so  was  it  done.     For  sixteen 


REPORT  OF   MY   POWER.  75 

hours,  my  soldiers  were  in  chains  in  the  market-place,  ex- 
posed to  the  taunts  of  the  servile  populace.  It  chanced 
the  next  day,  however,  that  Sheikh  Thani,  whom  I  met 
at  Kingaru,  and  had  since  passed  by  five  days,  had  arrived 
at  Simbamwenni,  and  proceeding  to  the  town  to  purchase 
provisions  for  the  crossing  of  the  Makata  wilderness,  saw 
my  men  in  chains  and  at  once  recognized  them  as  being  in 
my  employ.  After  hearing  their  story,  the  good-hearted 
sheikh  sought  the  presence  of  the  sultana,  and  informed 
her  that  she  was  doing  very  wrong — a  wrong  that  could 
only  terminate  in  blood.  'The  Musungu  is  strong,' 
he  said,  'very  strong.  He  has  got  ten  guns  which  shoot 
forty  times  without  stopping,  carrying  bullets  half  an 
hour's  distance;  he  has  got  several  guns  which  carry 
bullets  that  burst  and  tear  a  man  in  pieces.  He  could  go 
to  the  top  of  that  mountain  and  kill  every  man,  woman 
and  child  in  the  town  before  one  of  your  soldiers  could 
reach  the  top.  The  road  will  then  be  stopped,  Lyed  Bur- 
ghosh  will  march  against  your  country,  the  Wadoe  and 
Wakami  will  come  and  take  revenge  on  what  is  left ;  and 
the  place  that  your  father  made  so  strong  will  know  the 
Waseguh  ha  no  more.  Set  free  the  Musungu's  soldiers ; 
give  them  their  food  and  grain  for  the  Musungu ;  return 
the  guns  to  the  men  and  let  them  go,  for  the  white  man 
may  even  now  be  on  his  way  here.' 

"  The  exaggerated  report  of  my  power,  and  the  dread 
picture  sketched  by  the  Arab  sheikh,  produced  good 
effect,  inasmuch  as  Kingaru  and  the  Mabrukis  were  at  once 
released  from  durance,  furnished  with  food  sufficient  to  last 
our  caravan  four  days,  and  one  gun  with  its  accoutrements 
and  stock  of  bullets  and  powder,  was  returned,  as  well  as 
the  cook's  donkey,  with  a  pair  of  spectacles,  a  book  in 
Malabar  print  and  an  old  hat  which  belonged  to  one  whom 
we  all  now  believed  to  be  dead.     The  sheikh  took  charge 


7G  FLOUNDERING    AND    FLOATING. 

of  tlie  soldiers  as  far  as  Simbo ;  and  it  was  in  his  camp, 
partaking  largely  of  rice  and  gliee,  that  Shaw  found  them, 
and  the  same  bountiful  hospitality  was  extended  to  him 
and  his  companions." 

Stanley  was  now  filled  with  keen  regrets  that  he  had 
punished  the  cook  in  the  manner  he  did,  and  mentally  re- 
solved that  no  matter  what  a  member  of  his  caravan  should 
do  in  the  future  he  would  never  drive  him  out  of  camp  to 
perish  by  assassins.  Still  he  would  not  yet  believe  that  he 
was  murdered.  But  he  was  furious  at  the  treatment  of  his 
soldiers  by  the  black  Amazon  of  Limbamwanni,  and  the 
tribute  she  exacted,  especially  the  seizure  of  the  guns,  and 
if  he  had  been  near  the  place  would  have  made  reprisals. 
But  he  had  already  lost  four  days,  and  so,  next  morning, 
although  the  rain  was  coming  down  in  torrents,  he  broke 
camp  and  set  forth.  Shaw  was  still  sick,  and  so  the  whole 
duty  of  driving  the  floundering  caravan  devolved  upon 
himself.  As  fast  as  one  was  flogged  out  of  the  mire  in 
which  he  had  stuck,  another  would  fall  in.  It  took  two 
hours  to  cross  the  miry  plain,  though  it  was  but  a  mile  and 
a  half  wide.  He  was  congratulating  himself  on  having  at 
last  got  over  it,  when  he  was  confronted  by  a  ditch  which 
the  heavy  rains  had  converted  into  a  stream  breast  deep. 
The  donkeys  had  all  to  be  unloaded,  and  led  through  the 
torrent,  and  loaded  again  on  the  farther  side.  They  had 
hardly  got  under  way  when  they  came  upon  another 
stream,  so  deep  that  it  could  not  be  forded,  and  over  which 
they  had  to  swim,  and  float  across  their  baggage.  They 
then  floundered  on  until  they  came  to  a  bend  of  the  river, 
where  they  pitched  their  camp,  having  made  but  six  miles 
the  whole  day.  This  E-iver  Makata  is  only  about  forty  feet 
in  width  in  the  dry  saeson,  but  at  this  time  was  a  wide, 
turbid  stream.  Its  shores,  with  its  matted  grass,  decayed 
vegetable  matter,  reeking  mists,  seemed  the  very  home  of 


SEVERE   ILLNESS   OF   STANLEY.  79 

the  ague  and  fever.  It  took  five  hours  to  cross  it  the  next 
morning.  The  rain  came  down  in  such  torrents  that  trav- 
eling became  impossible,  and  the  camp  was  pitched. 
Luckily  this  proved  the  last  day  of  the  rainy  season. 

It  was  now  the  1st  of  May,  and  the  expedition  was  in  a 
pitiable  plight.  Shaw  was  still  sick,  and  one  man  was  down 
with  the  small-pox.  Bombay,  too,  was  sick,  and  others  com- 
plaining. Doctoring  the  sick  as  well  as  he  knew  how,  and 
laying  the  whip  lustily  on  the  backs  of  those  who  were 
shamming,  Stanley  at  length  got  his  caravan  in  motion  and 
began  to  cross  the  Makata  plain,  now  a  swamp  thirty-five 
miles  broad.  It  was  plash,  plash,  through  the  water,  in 
some  places  three  or  four  feet  deep,  for  two  days,  until  they 
came  in  sight  of  the  Kudewa  Kiver.  Crossing  a  branch  of 
this  stream,  a  sheet  of  water  five  miles  broad  stretched  out 
before  the  tired  caravan.  The  men  declared  it  could  not 
be  crossed,  but  Stanley  determined  to  try,  and  after  five 
hours'  of  the  most  prostrating  eftbrt  reached  dry  ground, 
but  his  animals  began  to  sicken  from  this  day  on,  while 
Stanley  himself  was  seized  with  the  dysentery,  caused  by 
his  exposure,  and  was  brought  to  the  verge  of  the  grave. 
The  expedition  seemed  about  to  end  there  on  the  borders 
of  the  Makata  swamp. 

On  the  4th,  they  came  to  the  important  village  of  Re- 
henneko,  the  first  near  which  they  had  encamped  since  en- 
tering the  district  of  Usagara.  It  was  a  square,  compact 
village,  of  about  one  thousand  inhabitants,  surrounded  by 
a  mud  wall  and  composed  of  cane-topped  huts,  which  the 
natives  moved  from  place  to  place  at  pleasure.  The 
peculiar  ceremonies  of  the  queen's  court  were  very 
interesting  to  witness.  They  rested  here  four  days  to 
recruit.  On  the  8th,  they  started  forward  and  began  to 
ascend  the  mountain.  Having  reached  the  summit  of  the 
first  range  of  hills,  Stanley  paused  to  survey  the  enchant- 


80  DEBAUCHEKIES  OF  FARQUHAR. 

ing  prospect.  The  broad  valley  of  Makata  stretched  out 
before  him,  laced  with  streams  sparkling  in  the  sun,  while 
over  it  waved  countless  palm-trees,  and  far  away,  blue  in 
the  distance,  stretched  a  mighty  range  of  mountains. 
"  Turning  our  faces  west,"  he  says,  "  we  found  ourselves  in  a 
mountain  world,  fold  rising  above  fold,  peak  behind  peak,  cone 
jostling  cone ;  away  to  the  north,  to  the  west,  to  the  south, 
the  mountain  tops  rolled  away  like  so  many  vitrified  waves, 
not  one  adust  or  arid  spot  was  visible  in  all  this  scene." 
The  change  from  the  pestilential  swamps,  through  which 
they  had  been  so  long  floundering,  was  most  grateful,  but  the 
animals  sujQfered  greatly,  and  before  they  reached  their  first 
camping-ground,  two  had  given  out.  The  9th,  they  de- 
scended into  the  valley  of  Mukondokno,  and  there  struck 
the  road  traversed  by  Speke  and  Burton  in  1817.  Reach- 
ing the  dirty  village,  Kiora,  Stanley  found  there  his  third 
caravan,  led  by  Farquhar.  By  his  debaucheries  on  the 
way  he  had  made  himself  sick  and  brought  his  caravan 
into  a  sad  condition.  As  he  heard  Stanley's  voice,  he  came 
staggering  out  of  his  tent,  a  bloated  mass  of  human  flesh 
that  never  would  have  been  recognized  as  the  trim  mate  of 
the  vessel  that  brought  Stanley  from  India.  After  he  ex- 
amined him  as  to  the  cause  of  his  illness,  he  questioned  him 
about  the  condition  of  the  property  intrusted  to  his  care. 
Not  able  to  get  an  intelligent  answer  out  of  him,  he  re- 
solved to  overhaul  his  baggage.  On  examination,  he  found 
that  he  had  spent  enough  for  provisions  on  which  to  gor- 
mandize to  have  lasted  eight  months,  and  yet  he  had  been 
on  the  route  but  two  and  a  half  months.  If  Stanley  had 
not  overtaken  him,  everything  would  have  been  squan- 
dered, and  of  all  the  bales  of  cloth  he  was  to  take  to  Un- 
yanyembe  not  one  bale  would  have  been  left.  Stanley  was 
sorely  puzzled  what  to  do'  with  the  miserable  man.  He 
would  die  if  left  at  Kiora ;  he  could  not  walk  or  ride  far, 
and  to  carry  him  seemed  well-nigh  impossible. 


iiriy'M) 


SMETHING  WRONG.  83 

On  the  11th,  however,  the  two  caravans  started  forward, 
leaving  Shaw  to  follow  with  one  of  the  men.  But  he  lagged 
behind,  and  had  not  reached  the  camp  when  it  was  roused 
next  morning.  Stanley  at  once  dispatched  two  donkeys, 
one  for  the  load  that  was  on  the  cart  and  the  other  for 
Shaw,  and  with  the  messenger  the  following  note :  "  You  will, 
upon  the  receipt  of  this  order,  pitch  the  cart  into  the  nearest 
ravine,  gully  or  river,  as  well  as  all  the  extra  pack  saddles  ; 
and  come  at  once,  for  God's  sake,  for  we  must  not  starve 
here"  After  waiting  four  hours,  he  went  back  himself  and 
met  them,  the  carrier  with  the  cart  on  his  head,  and  Shaw 
on  the  donkey,  apparently  ready,  at  the  least  jolt,  to  tumble 
off.  They,  however,  pushed  on,  and  arrived  at  Madete  at 
4  o'clock.  Crossing  the  river  about  three,  and  keej^ing  on, 
they,  on  the  14th,  from  the  top  of  a  hill,  caught  sight  of 
Lake  Ugenlo.  The  outline  of  it,  he  says,  resembles 
England  without  Wales.  It  is  some  three  miles  long  by 
two  wide,  and  is  the  abode  of  great  numbers  of  hippopotami, 
while  the  buffalo,  zebra,  boar  and  antelope  come  here  by 
night  to  quench  their  thirst.  Its  bosom  is  covered  with 
wild  fowl  of  every  description.  Being  obliged  to  halt  here 
two  days  on  account  of  the  desertion  of  the  cooper,  with 
one  of  the  carbines,  he  explored  the  lake,  and  tried  several 
shots  at  the  lumbering  hippopotami  without  effect. 

The  deserter  having  returned  of  his  own  free  will,  the 
caravan  started  forward,  cursed  by  the  slow  progress  of  the 
peevish,  profane  and  violent  Shaw.  The  next  day,  at 
breakfast,  a  scene  occurred  that  threatened  serious  conse- 
quences. When  Shaw  and  Farquhar  took  their  places, 
Stanley  saw  by  their  looks  that  something  was  wrong. 
The  breakfast  was  a  roast  quarter  of  goat,  stewed  liver, 
some  sweet  potatoes,  pancakes  and  coffee.  "  Shaw,"  said 
Stanley,  "  please  carve  and  serve  Farquhar."  Instead  of 
doing  so,  he  exclaimed  in  an  insulting  tone, "  What  dog's  meat 


84  GOOD    NEWS   OF   LIVINGSTONE. 

is  this?"  "What  do  you  mean,"  demanded  Stanley.  "I 
mean, "  replied  the  fellow, "  that  it  is  a  downright  shame  the 
way  you  treat  us,"  and  then  complained  of  being  compelled  to 
walk  and  help  himself,  instead,  as  he  was  promised,  have  ser- 
vants to  wait  upon  him.  All  this  was  said  in  a  loud,  defiant 
tone,  interluded  with  frequent  oaths  and  curses  of  the 
"  damned  expedition,"  etc.  When  he  had  got  through,  Stan- 
ley, fixing  his  black,  resolute  eye  on  him,  said :  "  Listen  to 
me,  Shaw,  and.  you,  Farquhar,  ever  since  you  left  the  coast, 
you  have  had  donkeys  to  ride.  You  have  had  servants  to  wait 
upon  you ;  your  tents  have  been  set  up  for  you ;  your  meals 
have  been  cooked  for  you ;  you  have  eaten  with  me  of  the 
same  food  I  have  eaten ;  you  have  received  the  same  treat- 
ment I  have  received.  But  now  all  Farquhar's  donkeys 
are  dead ;  seven  of  my  own  have  died,  and  I  have  had  to 
throw  away  a  few  things,  in  order  to  procure  carriage  for 
the  most  important  goods.  Farquhar  is  too  sick  to  walk, 
he  must  have  a  donkey  to  ride ;  in  a  few  days  all  our 
animals  will  be  dead,  after  which  I  must  have  over  twenty 
more  pagosis  to  take  up  the  goods  or  wait  weeks  and  weeks 
for  carriage.  Yet,  in  the  face  of  these  things,  you  can 
grumble,  and  curse,  and  swear  at  me  at  my  own  table. 
Have  you  considered  well  your  position  ?  Do  you  realize 
where  you  are  ?  Do  you  know  that  you  are  my  servant, 
sir,  not  my  companion  ?" 

"  Servant,  be  — — "  said  he. 

Just  before  Mr.  Shaw  could  finish  his  sentence  he  had 
measured  his  length  on  the  ground. 

"  Is  it  necessary  for  me  to  proceed  further  to  teach  you  ?" 
said  Stanley. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  sir,"  he  said,  raising  himself  up, 
"I  think  I  had  better  go  back.  I  have  had  enough,  and 
I  do  not  mean  to  go  any  farther  with  you.  I  ask  my  dis- 
charge from  you." 


SHAW    PENITENT.  85 

"  Oil,  certainly.  What — who  is  there  ?  Bombay,  come 
here." 

After  Bombay's  appearance  at  the  tent-door,  Stanley  said 
to  him :  " Strike  this  man's  tent,"  pointing  to  Shaw  ;  "lie 
wants  to  go  back.  Bring  his  gun  and  pistol  here  to  my 
tent,  and  take  this  man  and  his  baggage  two  hundred  yards 
outside  of  the  camp,  and  there  leave  him." 

In  a  few  minutes  his  tent  was  down,  his  gun  and  pistol 
in  Stanley's  tent,  and  Bombay  returned  to  make  his  report, 
with  four  men  under  arms. 

"  Now  go,  sir.  You  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  go.  These 
men  will  escort  you  outside  of  cam^),  and  there  leave  you 
and  your  baggage." 

He  walked  out,  the  men  escorting  him  and  carrying  his 
baggage  for  him. 

After  breakfast  Stanley  explained  to  Farquhar  how 
necessary  it  was  to  be  able  to  proceed ;  that  he  had  had 
plenty  of  trouble,  without  having  to  think  of  men  who  were 
employed  to  think  of  him  and  their  duties ;  that,  as  he  (Far- 
quhar) was  sick,  and  would  be  probably  unable  to  march  for 
a  time,  it  would  be  better  to  leave  him  in  some  quiet 
place,  under  the  care  of  a  good  chief,  who  would,  for  a  con- 
sideration, look  after  him  until  he  got  well.  To  all  of 
which  Farquhar  agreed. 

Stanley  had  barely  finished  speaking  before  Bombay  came 
to  the  tent-door,  saying:  "Shaw  would  like  to  speak  to  you." 

Stanley  went  out  to  the  door  of  the  camp,  and  there  met 
Shaw,  looking  extremely  penitent  and  ashamed.  He  com- 
menced to  ask  pardon,  and  began  imploring  to  be  taken 
back,  and  promising  that  occasion  to  find  fault  with  him 
again  should  never  arise. 

Stanley  held  out  his  hand,  saying :  "  Don't  mention  it, 
my  dear  fellow.  Quarrels  occur  in  the  best  of  families. 
Since  you  apologize,  there  is  an  end  of  it." 


SQ  A  STEANGE   SHOT. 

That  night,  as  Stanley  was  about  falling  asleep,  he  heard 
a  shot,  and  a  bullet  tore  through  the  tent  a  few  inches 
above  his  body.  He  snatched  his  revolver  and  rushed  out 
from  the  tent,  and  asked  the  men  around  the  watch-fires, 
"Who  shot?"  They  had  all  jumped  up,  rather  startled 
by  the  sudden  report. 

"Who  fired  that  gun?" 

One  said  the  "  Bana  Mdogo  " — little  master. 

Stanley  lit  a  candle  and  walked  with  it  to  Shaw's  tent. 

"Shaw,  did  you  fire?" 

Tliere  was  no  answer.  He  seemed  to  be  asleep,  he  was 
breathing  so  hard. 

"  Shaw !  Shaw  I  did  you  fire  that  shot  ?" 

"  Eh — eh  ?"  said  he,  suddenly  awakening ;  "  me  ? — me 
fire  ?     I  have  been  asleep." 

Stanley's  eye  caught  sight  of  his  gun  lying  near  him. 
He  seized  it — felt  it — put  his  little  finger  down  the  barrel. 
The  gun  was  warm ;  his  finger  was  black  from  the  burnt 
gunpowder. 

"  What  is  this  ?"  he  asked,  holding  his  finger  up ;  "  the 
gun  is  warm ;  the  men  tell  me  you  fired." 

"  Ah — ^yes,"  he  replied,  "  I  remember  it.  I  dreamed  I 
saw  a  thief  pass  my  door,  and  I  fired.  Ah — yes — I  forgot, 
I  did  fire.     Why,  what's  the  matter  ?" 

"  Oh,  nothing,"  said  Stanley.  "  But  I  would  advise  you, 
in  future,  in  order  to  avoid  all  suspicion,  not  to  fire  into  my 
tent ;  or,  at  least,  so  near  me.  I  might  get  hurt,  you  know, 
in  which  case  ugly  reports  would  get  about,  and  that,  per- 
haps, would  be  disagreeable,  as  you  are  probably  aware. 
Good-night." 

All  had  their  thoughts  about  this  matter,  but  Stanley 
never  uttered  a  word  about  it  to  any  one  until  he  met 
Livingstone.  The  doctor  embodied  his  suspicions  in  the 
words :  "  He  intended  murder !" 


SHAWS   EVIDENT   INTENT.  87 

Mr,  Livingstone  was  evidently  right  in  his  conjecture, 
and  Mr.  Stanley  wrong  about  the  intent  of  Shaw.  In  the 
first  j)lace,  the  coincidence  in  time  between  the  punishment 
inflicted  on  Shaw  and  this  extraordinary  shot,  in  which  the 
ball  took  the  still  more  extraordinary  direction  of  going 
through  Stanley's  tent,  that  is,  to  say  the  least,  very  diffi- 
cult to  explain.  In  the  second  place,  his  drowsy  condition 
when  questioned,  and  finally  remembering  so  much  as  that 
he  dreamed  a  thief  was  passing  his  door,  is  more  than  sus- 
picious. The  fact  that,  as  Mr.  Stanley  says,  he  could  have 
had  much  better  opportunities  of  killing  him  than  this,  we 
regard  of  very  little  weight.  Opportunities  that  are  abso- 
lutely certain  of  success  without  suspicion  or  detection,  are 
not  so  common  as  many  suppose.  Besides,  an  opportunity 
so  good  that  the  would-be  murderer  could  desire  nothing 
better  might  occur,  and  yet  the  shot  or  stab  not  prove  fatal. 
In  this  case,  it  doubtless  never  occurred  to  this  man  that 
any  one  would  run  his  finger  down  his  gun-barrel  to  see  if 
it  was  hot  from  a  recent  discharge,  while  no  man  could  tell, 
in  the  middle  of  the  night,  who  fired  the  shot.  It  is  true, 
that  the  wretch  knew  that  the  chances  were  against  such  a 
random  fire  proving  fatal,  but  he  knew  it  was  better  to 
take  them  than  the  almost  certain  discovery,  if  he  adopted 
any  other  method.  If,  for  instance,  he  had  in  a  lonely 
place  fired  at  Stanley,  and  the  shot  had  not  proved  mortal, 
or  if  mortal,  not  immediately  so,  he  well  knew  what  would 
have  been  his  fate,  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  where  justice  is 
administered  without  the  form  of  law. 

On  the  16th  of  May,  the  little  caravan  started  off  again, 
and  after  a  march  of  fifteen  miles,  camped  at  Matamombo, 
in  a  region  where  monkeys,  rhinocerse,  steinlaks  and  ante- 
lopes abounded.  The  next  day's  march  was  through  an 
interminable  jungle,  and  extended  fifteen  miles.  Here  he 
came  upon  the  old  Arab  sheikh,  Thani,  who  gave  him  the 


88  FAEQUHAR   LEFT. 

following  good  advice :  "  Stop  here  two  or  tliree  days,  give 
your  tired  animals  some  rest,  and  collect  all  the  carriers 
you  can ;  jfill  your  insides  with  fresh  milk,  sweet  potatoes, 
beef,  mutton,  ghee,  honey,  beans,  matama,  maderia,  nuts, 
and  then,  Inshalla !  we  shall  go  through  Ugogo  without 
stopping  anywhere."  Stanley  was  sensible  enough  to  take 
this  advice.  He  at  once  commenced  on  this  certainly  very 
prodigal  bill  of  fare  for  Central  Africa.  How  it  agreed 
with  him  after  the  short  trail  of  a  single  day,  may  be 
inferred  from  the  following  entry  in  his  diary : 

"Tliaiik  God!  after  fifty-seven  days  of  living  uj)on  mata- 
ma porridge  and  tough  goat,  I  have  enjoyed  w^ith  unctuous 
satisfaction  a  real  breakfast  and  a  good  dinner." 

Here  upon  the  Mpwapwa,  he  found  a  place  to  leave  the 
Scotchman,  Farquhar,  until  he  should  be  strong  enough  to 
join  him  at  Unyanyembe.  But  when  he  proposed  this  to 
the  friendly  chief,  he  would  consent  only  on  the  condition 
that  he  would  leave  one  of  his  own  men  behind  to  take 
care  of  him.  This  complicated  matters,  not  only  because 
he  could  not  well  spare  a  man,  but  because  it  would  be 
difficult  to  find  one  who  would  consent  to  undertake  this 
difficult  task.  This  man,  whom  Stanley  had  thought 
would  be  a  reliable  friend  and  a  good  companion  in  his 
long,  desolate  marches,  had  turned  out  a  burden  and  a 
nuisance.  His  wants  were  almost  endless,  and  instead  of 
using  the  few  words  in  the  language  of  the  natives  to  make 
them  known,  he  would  use  nothing  but  the  strongest  Anglo- 
Saxon,  and  when  he  found  he  was  not  understood,  would 
fall  to  cursing  in  equally  good  round  English  oaths,  and 
if  the  astonished  natives  did  not  understand  this,  relapsed 
into  regular  John  Bull  sullenness.  When,  therefore,  Stan- 
ley opened  up  the  subject  to  Bombay,  the  latter  was  horri-. 
fied.  He  said  the  men  had  made  a  contract  to  go  through, 
not  to  stop  by  the  way ;  and  when  Stanley,  in  despair, 


SAKO    LEFT   WITH   FARQUHAK.  89 

turned  to  the  men,  they  one  and  all  refused  absolutely  to 
remain  behind  with  the  cursing,  unreasonable  white  man — 
one  of  them  mimicking  his  absurd  conduct  so  completely, 
that  Stanley  himself  could  not  help  laughing.  But  the 
man  inust  be  left  behind,  and  .somebody  must  take  care  of 
him ;  and  so  Stajiley  had  to  use  his  authority,  and  notwith- 
standing all  his  protestations  and  entreaties,  Sako,  the  only 
one  who  could  speak  English,  was  ordered  to  stay  behind. 

Having  engaged  here  twelve  new  carriers,  and  from  the 
nearest  mountain  summit,  obtained  an  entrancing  view  of 
the  surrounding  region  for  a  hundred  miles,  he  prepared 
to  start,  but  not  before,  notwithstanding  the  good  milk  it 
furnished,  giving  Mpwapwa  a  thorough  malediction  for  its 
earwigs.  "  In  my  tent,"  he  says,  "  they  might  be  counted 
by  thousands ;  in  my  slung  cot  by  hundreds ;  on  my  clothes 
they  were  by  fifties ;  on  my  neck  and  head  they  were  by 
scores.  The  several  plagues  of  locusts,  fleas  and  lice  sink 
into  utter  insignificance  compared  with  this  damnable  one 
of  earwigs."  Their  presence  drove  him  almost  insane. 
Next  to  these  come  the  white  ants,  that  threatened  in  a 
short  time  to  eat  up  every  article  of  baggage. 

He  now  pushed  on  toward  the  Ugogo  district,  famous 
for  the  tribute  it  exacted  from  all  caravans. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THREE  OF  HIS  CARAVANS  MEET— A  WATERLESS  DESERT  TRAVERSED— STANLEY  DOWN  WITH  THB 
FEVER— A  LAND  OF  PLENTY  AND  OF  EXTORTION— A  POPULOUS  DISTRICT— A  MODERN  HERCULES 
— AN  AFRICAN  VILLAGE— STANLEY  CURBS  HIS  TEMPER  FOR  ECONOMY'S  SAKE— A  GOOD  SULTAN 
—NEWS  FROM  ONE  OF  HIS  CARAVANS— CURIOUS  NATIVES— FLOGGED  BY  STANLEY  INTO  PROPER 
BEHAVIOR— SALT  PLAINS— STANLEY  STOPS  TO  DOCTOR  HIMSELF— A  CURIOUS  VISIT  FROM  A 
CHIEF— A  NOBLE  AFRICAN  TRIBE— A  MOB— QUARREL  OVER  THE  ROUTE  TO  BE  TAKEN— SETTLED 
BY  STANLEY— A  MERRY  MARCH — CONDENSATION  OF  STANLEY'S  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  CHARACTER 
OF  THE  COUNTRY  AND  THE  TRIBES  OF  CENTRAL  AFRICA. 

ON  tlie  22d  of  May,  the  two  other  caravans  of  Stan- 
ley joined  him,  only  three  hours'  march  from  Mpwap- 
wa,  so  that  the  one  caravan  numbered  some  four  hun- 
dred souls — but  not  too  large  to  insure  a  safe  transit 
through  dreaded  Ugogo.  A  waterless  desert,  thirty  miles 
across,  and  which  it  would  take  seventeen  hours  to  traverse, 
now  lay  before  them.  On  the  way,  Stanley  was  struck 
down  with  fever,  and,  borne  along  in  a  hammock,  was  in- 
different to  the  herds  of  giraffes,  and  zebras,  and  antelopes 
that  scoured  the  desert  plain  around  him.  The  next 
morning  the  fever  left  him,  and,  mounting,  he  rode  at  the 
head  of  his  caravan,  and  at  8  A.  M.  had  passed  the  sterile 
wilderness  and  entered  the  Ugogo  district.  He  had  now 
come  into  a  land  of  plenty,  but  one  also  of  extortion.  The 
tribute  that  all  passing  caravans  had  to  pay  to  the  chiefs  or 
sultans  of  this  district  was  enormous.  At  the  first  village 
the  appearance  of  this  white  man  caused  an  indescribable 
uproar.  The  people  came  pouring  out,  men  and  women, 
naked,  yelling,  shouting,  quarreling  and  fighting,  making 
it  a  perfect  babel  around  Stanley,  who  became  irritated  at 
this  unseemly  demonstration.     But  it  was  of  no  use.     One 

90 


A  MODERN   HERCULES.  91 

of  his  men  asked  them  to  stop,  but  the  only  reply  was 
^^shut  up"  in  good  native  language.  Stanley,  however 
was  soon  oblivious  of  their  curiosity  or  noise — heavy  doses 
of  quinine  to  check  a  chill  sent  him  off  into  a  half  doze. 
The  next  day,  a  march  of  eight  miles  brought  him  to  the 
sultan  of  the  district.  Report  did  not  exaggerate  the 
abundance  of  provisions  to  be  found  here.  Now  came  the 
pay  of  tribute  to  the  exorbitant  chief  After  a  great  deal 
of  parley,  which  was  irritating  and  often  childish,  Stanley 
satisfied  the  sultan's  greed,  and,  on  the  27th  of  May,  shook 
the  dust  of  the  place  from  his  feet  and  pushed  westward. 
As  he  passed  the  thickly-scattered  villages  and  plenteous 
fields,  filled  with  tillers,  he  did  not  wonder  at  the  haughty 
bearing  of  the  sultan,  for  he  could  command  force  enough 
to  rob  and  destroy  every  caravan  that  j^assed  that  way. 
Twenty-seven  villages  lined  the  road  to  the  next  sultan's 
district,  Matomhiru.  This  sultan  was  a  modern  Hercules, 
with  head  and  shoulders  that  belonged  to  a  giant.  He 
proved,  however,  to  be  a  much  more  reasonable  man  than 
the  last  sultan,  and,  after  a  little  speechifying,  the  tribute 
was  paid  and  the  caravan  moved  off  toward  Bihawena. 
The  day  was  hot,  the  land  sterile,  crossed  with  many  jun- 
gles, which  made  the  march  slow  and  diflScult.  In  the 
midst  of  this  desolate  plain  were  the  villages  of  the  tribe, 
their  huts  no  higher  than  the  dry,  bleached  grass  that 
stood  glimmering  in  the  heat  of  the  noon-day  sun.  Here 
he  was  visited  by  three  natives,  who  endeavored  to  play  a 
sharp  game  upon  him,  which  so  enraged  Stanley  that  he 
would  have  flogged  them  with  his  whip  out  of  camp,  but 
one  of  his  men  told  him  to  beware,  for  every  blow  would 
cost  three  or  four  yards  of  cloth.  Not  willing  to  pay  so 
dearly  to  gratify  his  temper  he  forbore.  The  sultan  was 
moderate  in  his  demands,  and  from  him  he  received  news 
from  his  fourth  caravan,  which  was  in  advance,  and  had 


92  THRASHING   A   NATIVE. 

had  a  fight  witli  some  robbers,  killing  two  of  them.  It 
was  only  eight  miles  to  the  next  sultan.  The  water  here 
was  so  vile  that  two  donkeys  died  by  drinking  of  it,  while 
the  men  could  hardly  swallow  it.  Stanley,  nervous  and 
weak  from  fever,  paid  the  extravagant  tributes  demanded 
of  him,  without  altercation.  From  here  to  the  next  sultan 
was  a  long  stretch  of  forest,  filled  with  elephants,  rhinoce- 
ros, zebras,  deer,  etc.  But  they  had  no  time  to  stop  and 
hunt.  At  noon  they  had  left  the  last  water  they  should 
find  until  noon  of  the  next  day,  even  with  sharp  march- 
ing, and,  hence,  no  delay  could  be  permitted.  The  men 
without  tents  bivouacked  under  the  trees,  while  Stanley 
tossed  and  groaned  all  night  in  a  paroxysm  of  fever,  but 
his  courage  in  no  way  weakened.  At  dawn  the  caravan 
started  off  through  the  dark  forest,  in  which  one  of  the 
carriers  fell  sick  and  died. 

At  7  A.  M.  they  drew  near  Nyambwa,  where  excellent 
water  was  found.  The  villagers  crowded  round  them  with 
shouts  and  yells,  and  finally  became  so  insolent  that  Stan- 
ley grabbed  one  of  them  by  the  neck  and  gave  him  a  sound 
thrashing  with  his  donkey-whip.  This  enraged  them,  and 
they  walked  backward  and  forward  like  angry  tom-cats, 
shouting,  "Are  the  Wagogo  to  be  beaten  like  slaves?" 
and  they  seemed,  by  their  ferocious  manner,  determined 
to  avenge  their  comrade,  but  the  moment  Stanley  raised 
his  whip  and  advanced  they  scattered.  Finding  that  the 
long  lash,  which  cracked  like  a  pistol,  had  a  wholesome 
effect,  whenever  they  crowded  upon  him  so  as  to  impede 
his  progress,  he  laid  it  about  him  without  mercy,  which 
soon  cleared  a  path. 

The  Sultan  Kimberah  was  a  small,  queer  and  dirty  old 
man,  a  great  drunkard,  and  yet  the  most  powerful  of  all 
the  Ugogo  chiefs.  Here  they  had  considerable  trouble  in 
arranging  the  amount  of  tribute,  but  at  length  everything 


THE  sultan's  astonishment.  93 

was  settled  and  the  caravan  passed  on,  and  emerging  from 
the  corn-field,  entered  on  a  vast  salt  plain,  containing  a 
hundred  or  more  square  miles,  from  the  salt  springs  of 
which  the  Wagogo  obtained  their  salt.  At  Mizarza,  the 
next  camping-place,  Stanley  was  compelled  to  halt  and 
doctor  himself  for  the  fever  which  was  wearing  him  to 
skin  and  bones.  Early  in  the  morning  he  began  to  take 
his  quinine,  and  kept  repeating  the  doses  at  short  intervals 
until  a  copious  perspiration  told  him  he  had  broken  the 
fever  which  had  been  consuming  him  for  fourteen  days. 
During  this  time,  the  sultan  of  the  district,  attracted  by 
Stanley's  lofty  tent,  with  the  American  flag  floating  above 
it,  visited  him.  He  was  so  astonished  at  the  loftiness  and 
furnishing  of  the  tei^t,  that  in  his  surprise  he  let  fall  the 
loose  cloth  that  hung  from  his  shoulders  and  stood  stark 
naked  in  front  of  Stanley,  gaping  in  mute  wonder.  Ad- 
monished by  his  son — a  lad  fifteen  years  old — ^lie  resumed 
his  garb  and  sat  down  to  talk.  Stanley  showed  him  his 
rifles  and  other  fire-arms,  which  astonished  him  beyond 
measure. 

The  4th  of  June,  the  caravan  was  started  forward  again, 
and  after  three  hours'  march,  came  upon  another  district, 
containing  only  two  villages,  occupied  by  pastoral  Wa- 
humba  and  Wahehe.  These  live  in  cow-dung  cone  huts, 
shaped  like  Tartar  tents. 

"  The  Wahumba,  so  far  as  I  have  seen  them,  are  a  fine 
and  well-formed  race.  The  men  are  positively  handsome, 
tall,  with  small  heads,  the  posterior  parts  of  which  project 
considerably.  One  will  look  in  vain  for  a  thick  lip  or 
flat  nose  amongst  them ;  on  the  contrary,  the  mouth  is 
exceedingly  well  cut,  delicately  small ;  the  nose  is  that  of 
the  Greeks,  and  so  universal  was  the  peculiar  feature,  that 
I  at  once  named  them  the  Greeks  of  Africa.  Their  lower 
lunbs  have  not  the  heaviness  of  the  Wagogo  and  other 


94  BOMANS  OF  AFfilCA. 

tribes,  but  are  long  and  sbapely,  clean  as  those  of  an  ante- 
lope. Their  necks  are  long  and  slender,  on  which  their 
small  heads  are  poised  most  gracefully.  Athletes  from 
their  youth,  shepherd  bred,  and  intermarrying  among  them- 
selves, thus  keeping  the  race  pure,  any  of  them  would  form 
a  fit  subject  for  a  sculptor  who  would  wish  to  immortalize 
in  marble  an  Antrinus,  a  Hylas,  a  Daphnis,  or  an  Apollo. 
The  women  are  as  beautiful  as  the  men  are  handsome. 
They  have  clear  ebon  skins,  not  coal  black,  but  of  an  inky 
hue.  Their  ornaments  consist  of  spiral  rings  of  brass 
pendent  from  the  ears,  brass  ring  collars  about  the  neck, 
and  a  spiral  cincture  of  brass  wire  about  their  loins,  for  the 
purpose  of  retaining  their  calf  and  goat  skins,  which  are 
folded  about  their  bodies,  and  depending  from  the  shoulder, 
shade  one  half  of  the  bosom,  and  fall  to  the  knees. 

"  The  Wahehe  may  be  styled  the  Komans  of  Africa. 

"  Resuming  our  march,  after  a  halt  of  an  hour,  in  four 
hours  more  we  arrived  at  Mukondoku  proper. 

"  This  extremity  of  Ugogo  is  most  populous.  The  villages 
which  surround  the  central  tembe,  where  the  Sultan  Swa- 
ruru  lives,  amount  to  thirty-six.  The  people  who  flocked 
from  these  to  see  the  wonderful  men  whose  faces  were  white, 
who  wore  the  most  wonderful  things  on  their  persons,  and 
possessed  the  most  wonderful  weapons ;  guns  which  *  bum- 
bummed  '  as  fast  as  you  could  count  on  your  fingers,  formed 
such  a  mob  of  howling  savages,  that  I,  for  an  instant,  thought 
there  was  something  besides 'mere  curiosity  which  caused 
such  a  commotion,  and  attracted  such  numbers  to  the  roadside. 
Halting,  I  asked  what  was  the  matter,  and  what  they 
wanted,  and  why  they  made  such  a  noise  ?  One  burly 
rascal,  taking  my  words  for  a  declaration  of  hostilities, 
promptly  drew  his  bow,  but  as  prompt  as  he  had  fixed  his 
arrow  my  faithful  Winchester  with  thirteen  shots  in  the 
magazine  was  ready  and  at  my  shoulder,  and  but  waited  to 


KEACHING  THE   BOEDER   OF   UYANZI.  95 

see  tlie  arrow  fly  to  pour  the  leaden  messengers  of  death 
into  the  crowd.  But  the  crowd  vanished  as  quickly  as  they 
had  come,  leaving  the  burly  Thersites,  and  two  or  three 
irresolute  fellows  of  his  tribe,  standing  within  pistol  range 
of  my  leveled  rifle.  Such  a  sudden  dispersion  of  the  mob 
which,  but  a  moment  before,  was  overwhelming,  caused  me 
to  lower  my  rifle  and  indulge  in  a  hearty  laugh  at  the  dis- 
graceful flight  of  the  men-destroyers.  The  Arabs,  who 
were  as  much  alarmed  at  their  boisterous  obtrusiveness, 
now  came  up  to  patch  a  truce,  in  which  they  succeeded  to 
everybody's  satisfaction. 

"A  few  words  of  explanation,  and  the  mob  came  back  in 
greater  numbers  than  before ;  and  the  Thersites  who  had 
been  the  cause  of  the  momentary  disturbance  were  obliged 
to  retire  abashed  before  the  pressure  of  public  opinion.  A 
chief  now  came  up,  whom  I  afterwards  learned  was  the 
second  man  to  Swaruru,  and  lectured  the  people  upon  their 
treatment  of  the  *  white  strangers.' " 

The  tribute-money  was  easily  settled  here.  On  the  7th  of 
June,  the  route  was  resumed.  There  were  three  roads  lead- 
ing to  Uyanzi,  and  which  of  the  three  to  take  caused  long 
discussion  and  much  quarreling,  and  when  Stanley  settled 
the  matter  and  the  caravan  started  ofl"  on  the  road  to  Kiti, 
an  attempt  was  made  to  direct  it  to  another  road,  which 
Stanley  soon  discovered  and  prevented  only  by  his  prompt 
resort  to  physical  arguments. 

At  last,  they  reached  the  borders  of  Uyanzi,  glad  to  be 
clear  of  the  land  of  Ugogo,  said  to  be  flowing  with  milk 
and  honey,  but  which  had  proved  to  Stanley  a  land  of 
gall  and  bitterness.  The  forest  they  entered  was  a  welcome 
change  from  the  villages  of  the  Ugogo,  and  two  hours  after 
leaving  them,  they  came,  with  the  merry  sound  of  horns, 
to  a  river  in  a  new  district.  Continuing  on,  they  made 
the  forest  ring  with  cheers,  and  shouts,  and  native  songs. 


96  AERIVED   AT   UNYANYEMBE. 

The  country  was  beautiful,  and  the  scenery  more  like  cul- 
tivated England  in  former  times  than  barbaric  Africa. 

Passing  thus  merrily  on,  they  had  made  twenty  miles 
by  five  o'clock.  At  one  o'clock  next  morning,  the  camp 
was  roused,  and  by  the  light  of  the  moon  the  march  was 
resumed,  and  at  three  o'clock  arrived  at  a  village  to  rest 
till  dawn.  They  had  reached  a  land  of  plenty  and  fared 
well.  Kiti  was  entered  on  the  10th  of  June,  where  cattle 
and  grain  could  be  procured  in  abundance. 

A  valley  fifteen  miles  distant  was  the  next  camp,  and  a 
march  of  three  hours  and  a  half  brought  them  to  another 
village,  where  provisions  were  very  cheap.  They  were  now 
approaching  Unyanyembe,  their  first  great  stopping-place, 
and  where  the  term  of  service  of  many  of  Stanley's  men 
expired.  They  marched  rapidly  now — to-day  through 
grain-fields,  to-morrow  past  burnt  villages,  the  wreck  of 
bloody  wars. 

At  last,  with  banners  flying  and  trumpets  and  horns 
blowing,  and  amid  volleys  of  small  arms,  the  caravan 
entered  Unyanyembe. 

Of  the  three  routes  from  the  coast  to  this  place,  Stanley 
discarded  the  two  that  had  before  been  traveled  by  Speke 
and  Burton  and  Grant  and  chose  the  third,  with  the  origi- 
nality of  an  American,  and  thus  saved  nearly  two  hundred 
miles'  travel. 

Mr.  Stanley,  after  reaching  this  first  great  objective  point, 
goes  back  and  gives  a  general  description  of  the  regions  he 
has  traversed.  To  the  geographer,  it  may  be  of  interest, 
but  not  to  the  general  reader.  But  the  following,  taken 
from  his  long  account,  will  give  the  reader  a  clear  idea  of 
the  country  traversed  and  of  its  inhabitants.  Beginning 
with  Wiami  River,  emptying  into  the  Indian  Ocean  near 
Zanzibar,  he  says : 

"  First  it  appears  to  me  that  the  Wiami  River  is  avail- 


ADMIRABLE   MISSION   SITES.  97 

able  for  commerce,  and,  by  a  little  improvement,  could  be 
navigated  by  light-draft  steamers  near  to  the  Usagara 
Mountains,  the  healthy  region  of  this  part  of  Africa,  and 
which  could  be  reached  by  steamers  in  four  days  from  the 
coast,  and  then  it  takes  one  into  a  country  where  ivory, 
sugar,  cotton,  indigo  and  other  productions  can  be  ob- 
tained." 

Besides,  he  says : 

"Four  days  by  steamer  bring  the  missionary  to  the 
healthy  uplands  of  Africa,  where  he  can  live  amongst  the 
gentle  Wasagara  without  fear  or  alarm;  where  he  can 
enjoy  the  luxuries  of  civilized  life  without  fear  of  being 
deprived  of  them,  amid  the  most  beautiful  and  picturesque  • 
scenes  a  poetic  fancy  could  imagine.  Here  is  the  greenest 
verdure,  purest  water;  here  are  valleys  teeming  with 
grain-stalks,  forests  of  tamarind,  mimosa,  gum-copal  tree ; 
here  is  the  gigantic  moule,  the  stately  mparamnsi,  the 
beautiful  palm ;  a  scene  such  as  only  a  tropic  sky  covers. 
Health  and  abundance  of  food  are  assured  to  the  mission- 
ary ;  gentle  people  are  at  his  feet,  ready  to  welcome  him. 
Except  civilized  society,  nothing  that  the  soul  of  man  can 
desire  is  lacking  here. 

"  From  the  village  of  Kadetamare  a  score  of  admirable 
mission  sites  are  available,  with  fine  health-giving  breezes 
blowing  over  them,  water  in  abundance  at  their  feet,  fer- 
tility unsurpassed  around  them,  with  docile,  good-tempered 
people  dwelling  everywhere  at  peace  with  each  other,  and 
all  travelers  and  neisjhbors. 

"  As  the  passes  of  the  Olympus  unlocked  the  gates  of  the 
Eastern  empires  to  the  hordes  of  0th man ;  as  the  passes  of 
Kumayle  and  Sura  admitted  the  British  into  Abyssinia ;  so 
the  passes  of  the  Mukondokwa  may  admit  the  Gospel  and 
its  beneficent  influences  into  the  heart  of  savage  Africa. 

"  I  can  fancy  old  Kadetamare  rubbing  his  hands  with  glee 


98  IMPORTANT  EIVERS. 

at  the  sight  of  the  white  man  coming  to  teach  his  people 
the  words  of  the  *Mulungu' — the  Sky  Spirit;  how  to 
sow,  and  reap,  and  build  houses ;  how  to  cure  their  sick, 
how  to  make  themselves  comfortable — in  short,  how  to  be 
civilized.  But  the  missionary,  to  be  successful,  must  know 
his  duties  as  well  as  a  thorough  sailor  must  know  how  to 
reef,  hand  and  steer.  .  He  must  be  no  kid-glove,  effeminate 
man,  no  journal  writer,  no  disputatious  polemic,  no  silken 
stole  and  chasuble-loving  priest — but  a  thorough,  earnest 
laborer  in  the  garden  of  the  Lord — a  man  of  the  David 
Livingstone,  or  of  the  Kobert  Moffatt  stamp. 

"  The  other  river,  the  E-ufiji,  or  Ruhwha,  is  a  still  more 
important  stream  than  Wiami.  It  is  a  much  longer  river, 
and  discharges  twice  as  much  water  into  the  Indian  Ocean. 
It  rises  near  some  mountains  about  one  hundred  miles 
south-west  of  Nbena.  Kisigo  Kiver,  the  most  northern 
and  most  important  affluent  of  the  Ruhwha,  is  supposed  to 
flow  into  it  near  east  longitude  thirty-five  degrees ;  from 
the  confluence  to  the  sea,  the  Ruhwha  has  a  length  of  four 
degrees  of  direct  longitude.  This  fact,  of  itself,  must  prove 
its  importance  and  rank  among  the  rivers  of  East  Africa. 

"  After  Zanzibar,  our  debut  into  Africa  is  made  via  Ba- 
gomayo.  At  this  place  we  may  see  Wangindo,  Wasawahili, 
Warori,  Wagogo,  Wanyamwezi,  Waseguhha  and  Wasa- 
gara ;  yet  it  would  be  a  difiicult  task  for  any  person,  at 
mere  sight  of  their  dresses  or  features,  to  note  the  differ- 
ences. Only  by  certain  customs  or  distinctive  marks,  such 
as  tattooing,  puncturing  of  the  lobes  of  the  ears,  ornaments, 
wearing  the  hair,  etc.,  which  would  appear,  at  first,  too 
trivial  to  note,  could  one  discriminate  between  the  various 
tribal  representatives.  There  are  certainly  differences,  but 
not  so  varied  or  marked  as  they  are  reported. 

"  The  Wasawahili,  of  course,  through  their  intercourse 
with  semi-civilization,  present  us  with  a  race,  or  tribe,  in- 


THE   PUKE  BAEBARIANS.  99 

fluenced  by  a  state  of  semi-civilized  society,  and  are,  con- 
sequently, better  dressed  and  appear  to  better  advantage 
than  their  more  savage  brethren  farther  west.  As  it  is. 
said  that  underneath  the  Russian  skin  lies  the  Tartar,  so 
it  may  be  said  that  underneath  the  snowy  dish-dasheh,  or 
shirt  of  the  Wasawahili,  one  will  find  the  true  barbarian. 
In  the  street  or  bazaar  he  appears  semi-Arabized ;  his 
suavity  of  manner,  his  prostrations  and  genuflexions,  the 
patois  he  speaks,  all  prove  his  contact  and  affinity  with 
the  dominant  race,  whose  subject  he  is.  Once  out  of  the 
coast  towns,  in  the  Washensi  villages,  he  sheds  the  shirt 
that  had  half  civilized  him,  and  appears  in  all  his  deep 
blackness  of  skin,  prognathous  jaws,  thick  lips — the  pure 
negro  and  barbarian.  Not  keenest  eye  could  detect  the 
difference  between  him  and  the  Washensi,  unless  his  atten- 
tion had  been  drawn  to  the  fact  that  the  two  men  were  of 
different  tribes. 

"The  next  tribe  to  which  we  are  introduced  are  the 
AVakwere,  who  occupy  a  limited  extent  of  country  between 
the  AVazaramo  and  the  Wadoe.  They  are  thfe  first  repre- 
sentatives of  the  pure  barbarian  the  traveler  meets,  when 
but  two  day's  journey  from  the  sea-coast.  They  are  a  timid 
tribe  and  a  very  unlikely  people  to  commence  an  attack 
upon  any  body  of  men  for  mere  plunder's  sake.  They 
have  not  a  very  good  reputation  among  the  Arab  and 
Wasawahili  traders.  They  are  said  to  be  exceedingly  dis- 
honest, of  which  I  have  not  the  least  doubt.  They  fur- 
nished me  with  good  grounds  for  believing  these  reports 
while  encamped  at  Kingaru,  Hera  and  Imbiki.  The 
chiefs  of  the  more  eastern  part  of  Ukwere  profess  nominal 
allegiance  to  the  Dwians  of  the  Mrima.  They  have  se- 
lected the  densest  jungles  wherein  to  establish  their  vil- 
lages. Every  entrance  into  one  of  their  valleys  is  jealously 
guarded  by  strong  wooden  gates,  seldom  over  four  and  a 


100  OBSTACLES   OF   JUNGLE   ISLETS. 

half  feet  higli,  and  so  narrow,  sometimes,  that  one  must 
enter  sideways. 

"  These  jungle  islets  which  in  particular  dot  the  extent 
of  Ukwere,  present  formidable  obstacles  to  a  naked  enemy. 
The  plants,  bushes  and  young  trees  which  form  their 
natural  defense,  are  generally  of  the  aloetic  and  thorny 
species,  growing  so  dense,  interlaced  one  with  the  other, 
that  the  hardiest  and  most  desperate  robber  would  not 
brave  the  formidable  array  of  sharp  thorns  which  bristle 
everywhere. 

"Some  of  these  jungle  islets  are  infested  with  gangs  of 
banditti,  who  seldom  fail  to  take  advantage  of  the  weak- 
ness of  a  single  wayfarer,  more  especially  if  he  be  a 
Mgwana — a  freeman  of  Zanzibar,  as  every  negro  resident 
of  the  island  of  Zanzibar  is  distinguished  by  the  Washensi 
natives  of  the  interior. 

"  I  should  estimate  the  population  of  Ukwere,  allowing 
about  one  hundred  villages  to  this  territory  (which  is  not 
more  than  thirty  miles  square,  its  bounds  on  the  south 
being  the  Rufu  Kiver,  and  on  the  north  the  Kiver  Wiami), 
at  not  more  than  five  thousand  souls.  Were  all  these 
banded  together  under  the  command  of  one  chief,  the 
Wakwere  might  become  a  powerful  tribe. 

"  After  the  Wakwere  we  come  to  the  Wakami,  a  rem- 
nant of  a  once  grand  nation,  which  occupied  the  lands  from 
the  Ungerengeri  to  the  Great  Makata  River.  Frequent 
wars  with  the  Wadoe  and.  Waseguhha  have  reduced  them 
to  a  narrow  belt  of  country,  ten  rectilinear  miles  across, 
which  may  be  said  to  be  comprised  between  Kiva  Peak 
and  the  stony  ridge  bounding  the  valley  of  the  Ungeren- 
geri on  the  east,  within  a  couple  of  miles  from  the  east 
bank  of  the  river. 

"  They  are  as  numerous  as  bees  in  the  Ungerengeri  Val- 
ley.   The  unsurpassed  fertility  has  been  a  great  inducement 


PICTUKESQUE   FOEEST   SCEIfEEY.  101 

to  retain  for  these  people  the  distinction  of  a  tribe.  By  the 
means  of  a  spy-glass  one  may  see,  as  he  stands  on  the  top 
of  that  stony  ridge  looking  down  into  the  fair  valley,  clus- 
ters of  brown  huts  visible  amid  bosky  clumps,  fullness  and 
plenty  all  over  the  valley,  and  may  count  easily  over  a 
hundred  villages. 

"  From  Ukami,  we  pass  Southern  Udoe,  and  find  a  war- 
like, fine-looking  people,  with  a  far  more  intelligent  cast  of 
features,  and  a  shade  lighter  than  the  Wakami  and  Wak- 
were — a  people  who  are  full  of  traditions  of  race,  a  people 
who  have  boldly  rushed  to  war  upon  the  slightest  encroach- 
ment upon  their  territories,  and  who  have  bravely  defended 
themselves  against  the  Waseguhha  and  Wakami,  as  well 
as  asrainst  nomadic  marauders  from  Uhumba. 

"  Udoe,  in  appearance,  is  amongst  the  most  picturesque 
countries  between  the  sea  and  Nyanyembe.  Great  cones 
shoot  upward  above  the  everlasting  forest,  tipped  by  the 
light,  fleecy  clouds,  through  which  the  warm,  glowing  sun 
darts  its  rays,  bathing  the  whole  in  sunlight,  which  brings 
out  those  globes  of  foliage,  which  rise  in  tier  after  tier  to 
the  summits  of  the  hills,  colors  which  would  mock  the 
most  ambitious  painter's  efforts  at  imitation.  Udoe  first 
evokes  the  traveler's  love  of  natural  beauty  after  leaving 
the  sea,  her  roads  lead  him  up  along  the  sharp  spines  of 
hilly  ridges,  whence  he  may  look  down  upon  the  forest- 
clad  slopes,  declining  on  either  side  of  him  into  the  depths 
of  deep  valleys,  to  rise  up  beyond  into  aspiring  cones 
which  kiss  the  sky,  or  into  a  high  ridge  with  deep,  con- 
centric folds,  which  almost  tempt  one  to  undergo  much 
labor  in  exploring  them  for  the  provoking  air  of  mystery 
in  which  they  seem  to  be  enwrapped. 

"  What  a  tale  this  tribe  could  relate  of  tlie  slave-trader's 
deeds.  Attacked  by  the  joint  forces  of  the  Waseguhha 
from  the  west  and  north,  and  the  slave-traders  of  Whinde 


102  DISTINCTIVE   TRIBAL   MARKS. 

and  Sa'adani  from  the  east,  the  Wadoe  have  seen  their 
wives  and  little  ones  carried  into  slavery  a  hundred  times, 
and  district  after  district  taken  from  their  country  and 
attached  to  Useguhha.  For  the  people  of  Useguhha  were 
hired  to  attack  their  neighbors,  the  Wadoe,  by  the  Whinde 
slave-traders,  and  were  also  armed  with  muskets  and  sup- 
plied with  ammunition  by  them,  to  effect  large  and  repeated 
captures  of  Wadoe  slaves.  The  people  of  this  tribe,  es- 
pecially women  and  children,  so  superior  in  physique  and 
intelligence  to  the  servile  races  by  which  they  were  sur- 
rounded, were  eagerly  sought  for  as  concubines  and  do- 
mestics bv  the  lustful  Mohammedans. 

"  This  tribe  we  first  note  to  have  distinctive  tribal  marks 
— by  a  line,  punctures  extending  lengthwise  on  eacli  side 
of  the  face,  and  a  chipping  of  the  two  inner  sides  of  the 
two  middle  teeth  of  the  upper  row. 

"  The  arms  of  this  tribe  are  similar  to  the  arms  of  the 
Wakami  and  Wakwere,  and  consist  of  a  bow  and  arrows, 
a  shield,  a  couple  of  light  spears  or  assegais,  a  long  knife,  a 
handy  little  battle-axe  and  a  club  with  a  large  knob  at  the 
end  of  it,  which  latter  is  dexterously  swung  at  the  head  of 
an  enemy,  inflicting  a  stunning  and  sometimes  a  fatal  blow. 

"  Emerging  from  the  forest  of  Mikeseh,  we  enter  the 
territory  of  the  Waseguhha,  or  Wasegura,  as  the  Arabs 
wrongly  call  this  country.  Useguhha  extends  over  two  de- 
grees in  length,  and  its  greatest  breadth  is  ninety  geo- 
graphical miles.  It  has  two  main  divisions,  that  of  South- 
ern Useguhha,  from  Uruguni  to  the  Wiami  River,  and 
Northern  Useguhha,  under  the  chieftain  Moto,  from  the 
Wiami  Kiver  to  Umagassi  and  Usumbara. 

"Mostly  all  the  Wkseguhha  warriors  are  armed  with 
muskets,  and  the  Arabs  supply  them  with  enough  ammuni- 
tion, in  return  for  which  they  attack  Waruguru,  Wadoe 
and  Wakwenni,  to  obtain  slaves  for  the  Arab  market,  and 


THE   MAGIC   AKT.  103 

it  is  but  five  years  since  the  Waseguhha  organized  a  suc- 
cessful raid  into  the  very  heart  of  the  Wasagara  Mountains, 
during  which  they  desolated  the  populated  part  of  the 
Makata  plain,  capturing  over  five  hundred  slaves.  For- 
merly wars  in  this  country  were  caused  by  blood  feuds 
between  different  chiefs ;  they  are  now  encouraged  by  the 
slave  buyers  of  the  Mirma,  for  the  purpose  of  supplying 
these  human  chattels  for  the  market  of  Zanzibar.  The 
Waseguhha  are  about  the  most  thorough  believers  in  witch- 
craft, yet  the  professors  of  this  dark  science  fare  badly  at 
their  hands.  It  is  a  very  common  sight  to  see  cinereous 
piles  on  the  roadside,  and  the  waving  garments  suspended 
to  the  branches  of  trees  above  them,  which  mark  the  fate 
of  the  unfortunate  'Waganga'  or  medicine  man.  So  long 
as  their  predictions  prove  correct  and  have  a  happy  culmi- 
nation, these  professors  of  'uchawi' — magic  art — are  re- 
garded with  favor  by  the  people;  but  if  an  unusual  calamity 
overtakes  a  family,  and  they  can  swear  that  it  is  the  result 
of  the  magician's  art,  a  quorum  of  relentless  inquisition  is 
soon  formed,  and  a  like  fate  to  that  which  overtook  the 
*  witches '  in  the  dark  days  of  New  England  surely  awaits 
him. 

"Enough  dead  wood  is  soon  found  in  their  African 
forests,  and  the  unhappy  one  perishes  by  fire,  and,  as  a 
warning  to  all  false  professors  of  the  art,  his  loin-cloth  is 
hung  up  to  a  tree  above  the  spot  where  he  met  his  doom. 

"In  Southern  Usagara,  the  people  are  most  amiable; 
but  in  the  north,  in  those  districts  adjacent  to  the  Wahumba, 
the  people  partake  of  the  ferocious  character  of  their  fierce 
neighbors.  Eepeated  attacks  from  the  Waseguhha  kid- 
nappers, from  the  Wadirigo  or  Wahehe  robbers  on  the 
south-west,  from  Wagogo  on  the  west  and  from  Wahumba 
on  the  north,  have  caused  them  to  regard  strangers  with 
suspicion ;  but  after  a  short  acquaintance  they  prove  to  be 


104  THE   WASAGARA   COSTUMES. 

a  frank,  amiable  and  brave  people.  Indeed,  they  have 
good  cause  to  be  distrustful  of  the  Arabs  and  the  Wang- 
wana  of  Zanzibar.  Mbumi,  Eastern  Usagara,  has  been 
twice  burned  down,  within  a  few  years,  by  the  Arabian 
Waseguhha  kidnappers ;  Kehemeko  has  met  the  same  fate, 
and  it  was  not  many  years  ago  since  Abdullah  bin  Nasib 
carried  fire  and  sword  from  Misonghi  to  Mpwapwa. 
Kanyaparu,  lord  of  the  hills  around  Chunyo,  Kunyo,  once 
cultivated  one-fourth  of  the  Marenga,  Mkali ;  but  is  now 
restricted  to  the  hill-tops,  from  fear  of  the  Wadirigo  ma- 
rauders. 

"  The  Wasagara,  male  and  female,  tattoo  the  forehead, 
bosom  and  arms.  Besides  inserting  the  neck  of  a  gourd 
in  each  ear — ^which  carries  his  little  store  of  '  tumbac '  or 
tobacco,  and  lime,  which  he  has  obtained  by  burning  land 
shells — ^he  carries  quite  a  number  of  primitive  ornaments 
around  his  neck,  such  as  two  or  three  snowy  cowrie-shells, 
carved  pieces  of  wood,  or  a  small  goat's  horn,  or  some  medi- 
cine consecrated  by  the  medicine  man  of  the  tribe,  a  fund 
of  red  or  white  beads,  or  two  or  three  pieced  Lungomazzi 
egg-beads,  or  a  string  of  copper  coins,  and  sometimes  small 
brass  chains,  like  a  cheap  Jack  watch-chain.  These  things 
they  have  either  made  themselves  or  purchased  from  Arab 
traders  for  chickens  or  goats.  The  children  all  go  naked ; 
youths  wear  a  goat  or  sheep-skin ;  grown  men  and  women, 
blessed  with  progeny,  wear  domestic  or  a  loin-cloth  of 
Kaniki,  or  a  barsati,  which  is  a  favorite  colored  cloth  in 
Usagara ;  chiefs  wear  caps  such  as  are  worn  by  the  Wam- 
rima  Diwans,  or  the  Arab  tarboosh. 

"Next  on  our  line  of  march,  appears  the  Wagogo,  a 
powerful  race,  inhabiting  the  region  west  of  Usagara  to 
Uyanzi,  which  is  about  eighty  miles  in  breadth  and  about 
one  hundred  in  length. 

"  The  traveler  has  to  exercise  great  prudence,  discretion 


THE   MEANING   OF   "  TEIBUTE."  107 

and  judgment  in  Lis  dealings  with  them.  Here  he  first 
heard  the  word  'houga'  after  passing  Limbomwenni,  a, 
word  which  signifies  tribute,  though  it  formerly  meant  a 
present  to  a  friend.  Since  it  is  exacted  from  him  with 
threats,  that  if  it  is  not  paid  they  will  make  war  on  him, 
its  best  interjDretation  would  be,  *  forcibly  extorted  tribute 
or  toll.' 

"  Naturally,  if  the  traveler  desires  to  be  mulcted  of  a 
large  sum,  he  will  find  the  Wagogo  ready  to  receive  every 
shred  of  cloth  he  gives  them.  Moumi  will  demand  sixty 
cloths,  and  will  wonder  at  his  own  magnanimity  in  asking 
such  a  small  number  of  cloths  from  a  great  Musungu 
(white  man).  The  traveler,  however,  will  be  wise  if  he 
permits  his  chief  men  to  deal  with  them,  after  enjoining* 
them  to  be  careful,  and  not  commit  themselves  too  hastily 
to  any  number. 

"  They  are,  physically  and  intellectually,  the  best  of  the 
races  between  Unyamwezi  and  the  sea.  Their  color  is  a 
rich  dark  brown.  There  is  something  in  their  frontal 
aspect  which  is  almost  leonine.  Their  faces  are  broad  and 
intelligent.  Their  eyes  are  large  and  round.  Their  noses 
are  flat,  and  their  mouths  are  very  large ;  but  their  lips, 
though  thick,  are  not  so  monstrously  thick  as  those  our 
exaggerated  ideal  of  a  negro  has.  For  all  this,  though  the 
Mgogo  is  a  ferocious  man,  capable  of  proceeding  to  any 
length  upon  the  slightest  temptation,  he  is  an  attractive 
figure  to  the  white  traveler.  He  is  proud  of  his  chief, 
proud  of  his  country,  sterile  and  unlovable  though  it  be ; 
he  is  proud  of  himself,  his  prowess,  his  weapons  and  his 
belongings ;  he  is  vain,  terribly  egotistic,  a  bully,  and  a 
tyrant,  yet  the  Mgogo  is  capable  of  forming  friendships, 
and  of  exerting  himself  for  friendship's  sake.  One  grand 
vice  in  his  character,  which  places  him  in  a  hostile  light 
to  travelers,  is  his  exceeding  avarice  and  greed  for  riches; 


108        THE  CHAEACTEE  OF  THE  MGOGO. 

and  if  tlie  traveler  suffers  by  this,  lie  is  not  likely  to  Be 
amiably  disposed  toward  him. 

"  This  sturdy  native,  with  his  rich  complexion,  his  lion 
front,  his  menacing  aspect,  bullying  nature,  haughty,  proud 
and  quarrelsome,  is  a  mere  child  with  a  man  who  will  de- 
vote himself  to  the  study  of  his  nature,  and  not  offend  his 
vanity.  He  is  easily  angered,  and  his  curiosity  is  easily 
aroused.  A  traveler  with  an  angular  disposition  is  sure  to 
quarrel  with  him — but,  in  the  presence  of  this  rude  child  of 
nature,  especially  when  he  is  so  powerful,  it  is  to  his  ad- 
vantage and  personal  safety  to  soften  those  angles  of  his  own 
nature.  The  Kigogo  *  Bob  Koy'  is  on  his  native  ground, 
and  has  a  decided  advantage  over  the  white  foreigner.  He 
♦  is  not  brave,  but  he  is,  at  least,  conscious  of  the  traveler's 
weakness,  and  he  is  disposed  to  take  advantage  of  it,  but  is 
prevented  from  committing  an  act  because  it  is  to  his  ad- 
vantage to  keep  the  peace.  Any  violence  to  a  traveler 
would  close  the  road ;  caravans  would  seek  other  ways,  and 
the  chiefs  would  be  dej^rived  of  much  of  their  revenues. 

"  The  Mgogo  warrior  carries  as  his  weapons  a  bow  and 
a  sheaf  of  murderous-looking  arrows,  pointed,  pronged  and 
barbed;  a  couple  of  light,  beautifully-made  assegais;  a 
broad,  sword-like  spear,  with  a  blade  over  two  feet  long ; 
a  battle-axe,  and  a  rungu  or  knob-club.  He  has  also  a 
shield,  painted  with  designs  in  black  and  white,  oval- 
shaped,  sometimes  of  rhinoceros,  or  elephant,  or  bull-hide. 
From  the  time  he  was  a  toddling  urchin  he  has  been 
familiar  with  his  weapons,  and  by  the  time  he  was  fifteen 
years  old  he  was  an  adept  with  them. 

"He  is  armed  for  battle  in  a  very  short  time.  The 
messenger  from  the  chief  darts  from  village  to  village,  and 
blows  his  ox-horn,  the  signal  for  war.  The  warrior  hears 
it,  throws  his  hoe  over  his  shoulder,  enters  his  house,  and 
in  a  few  seconds  issues  out  again,  arrayed  in  war-paint  and 


THE   MGOGO    WAEEIORS.  109 

full  fighting  costume.  Feathers  of  the  ostrich,  or  the  eagle, 
or  the  vulture  nod  above  his  head ;  his  long  crimson  robe 
streams  behind  him,  his  shield  is  on  his  left  arm,  his  darting 
assegai  in  his  left  hand,  and  his  ponderous  man-cleaver — 
double-edged  and  pointed,  heading  a  strong  staff — is  in  his 
right  hand ;  jingling  bells  are  tied  around  his  ankles  and 
knees ;  ivory  wristlets  are  on  his  arms,  with  which  he  sounds 
his  approach.  With  the  plodding  peasant's  hoe  he  has 
dropped  the  peasant's  garb,  and  is  now  the  proud,  vain, 
exultant  warrior — bounding  aloft  like  a  gymnast,  eagerly 
snifiing  the  battle-field.  The  strength  and  i)Ower  of  the 
Wagogo  are  derived  from  their  numbers. 

"  Though  caravans  of  Wagogo  are  sometimes  found  pass- 
ing up  and  down  the  Unyamwezi  road,  they  are  not  so 
generally  employed  as  the  Wanyamwezi  in  trade.  Their 
villages  are  thus  always  full  of  warriors.  Weak  tribes,  or 
remnants  of  tribes  are  very  glad  to  be  admitted  under  their 
protection.  Individuals  of  other  tribes,  also,  who  have 
been  obliged  to  exile  themselves  from  their  own  tribes,  for 
some  deed  of  violence,  are  often  found  in  the  villages  of  the 
Wagogo.  In  the  north,  the  Wahumba  are  very  numerous  ; 
in  the  south  may  be  found  the  Wahehe  and  Wakimbu,  and 
in  the  east  may  be  found  many  a  family  from  Usagara. 
Wanyamwi  are  also  frequently  found  in  this  country. 
Indeed,  these  latter  people  are  like  Scotchmen,  they  may 
be  found  almost  everywhere  throughout  Central  Africa, 
and  have  a  knack  of  pushing  themselves  into  prominence. 

"As  in  Western  Usagara,  the  houses  of  the  Wagogo  are 
square,  arranged  around  the  four  sides  of  an  area — to  which 
all  the  doors  open.  The  roofs  are  all  flat,  on  which  are 
spread  the  grain,  herbs,  tobacco  and  pumpkins.  The  back 
of  each  department  is  pierced  with  small  holes  for  observa- 
tion and  for  defense. 

"The  tembe  is  a  fragile  affair  as  constructed  in  Ugogo; 


110  THE   MGOGO   HOUSE. 

it  merely  consists  of  a  line  of  slender  sticks  daubed  over 
with  mud,  with  three  or  four  strong  ]3oles  planted  at  inter- 
vals to  support  the  beams  and  rafters,  on  which  rests  the 
flat  clay  roof.  -A  musket-ball  pierces  the  wattled  walls  of 
a  Kigogo  tembe  through  and  through.  In  Uyanzi,  the 
tembe  is  a  formidable  afiair,  because  of  the  abundance  of 
fine  trees,  which  are  cut  down  and  split  into  rails  three  or 
four  inches  thick. 

"  The  tembe  is  divided  into  apartments,  separated  from 
each  other  by  a  wattled  wall.  Each  apartment  may  con- 
tain a  family  of  grown-up  boys  and  girls,  who  form  their 
beds  on  the  floor,  out  of  dressed  hides.  The  father  of  the 
family,  only,  has  a  kitanda,  or  fixed  cot,  made  of  ox-hide, 
stretched  over  a  frame,  or  of  the  bark  of  the  myombo  tree. 
The  floor  is  of  tamped  mud,  and  is  exceedingly  filthy, 
smelling  strongly  of  every  abomination.  In  the  corners, 
suspended  to  the  rafters,  are  the  fine,  airy  dwellings  of 
black  spiders  of  very  large  size,  and  other  monstrous  in- 
sects. 

"  Kats,  a  peculiarly  long-headed,  dun-colored  species,  in- 
fest every  tembe.  Cows,  goats,  sheep  and  cats  are  the  only 
domestic   animals  permitted  to  dwell  within  the  tembe. 

"  The  Wagogo  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  God,  or  sky 
spirit,  whom  they  call  Mulungu.  Their  prayers  are  gen- 
erally directed  to  him  when  their  parents  die.  A  Mgogo, 
after  he  has  consigned  his  father  to  the  grave,  collects  his 
father's  chattels  together,  his  cloth,  his  ivory,  his  knife,  his 
jeinbe  (hoe),  his  bows  and  arrows,  his  spear  and  his  cattle, 
and  kneels  before  them,  repeating  a  wish  that  Mulungu 
would  increase  his  worldly  wealth,  that  he  would  bless  his 
•labors  and* make  him  successful  in  trade.  They  venerate, 
and  often  perform  a  dance  in  honor  of  the  moon. 

"The  following  conversation  occurred  between  myself 
and  a  kigogo  trader : 


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MODE   OF   BURIAL.  113 

"  *  Who  do  you  suppose  made  your  parents  V 

" '  Why,  Mulungu,  white  man.' 

" '  Well,  who  made  you  ?' 

" '  If  God  made  my  father,  God  made  me,  didn't  He  ?' 

" '  That's  very  good..  Where  do  you  suppose  your  father 
has  gone  to,  now  that  he  is  dead  ?' 

" '  The  dead  die,'  said  he,  solemnly,  '  they  are  no  more. 
The  sultan  dies,  he  becomes  nothing — he  is  then  no  better 
than  a  dead  dog ;  he  is  finished,  his  words  are  finished — 
there  are  no  words  from  him.  It  is  true,'  he  added,  seeing 
a  smile  on  my  face,  *  the  sultan  becomes  nothing.  He  who 
says  other  words  is  a  liar.     There.' 

"  *  But  then  he  is  a  very  great  man,  is  he  not  ?' 

" '  While  he  lives  only — after  death  he  goes  into  the  pit, 
and  there  is  no  more  to  be  said  of  him  than  any  other 
man.* 

" '  How  do  you  bury  a  Mgogo  ?' 

" '  His  legs  are  tied  together,  his  right  arm  to  his  body, 
and  his  left  is  put  under  his  head.  He  is  then  rolled  on 
his  left  side  in  the  grave.  His  cloth  he  wore  during  his 
life  is  spread  over  him.  We  put  the  earth  over  him,  and 
put  thorn-bushes  over  it,  to  prevent  the  fize  (hyena)  from 
getting  at  him.  A  woman  is  put  on  her  right  side  in  a 
grave  apart  from  the  man.' 

" '  "What  do  you  do  with  the  sultan,  when  he  is  dead  ?' 

"  *  We  bury  him,  too,  of  course ;  only  he  is  buried  in  the 
middle  of  the  village,  and  we  build  a  house  over  it.  Each 
time  they  kill  an  ox,  they  kill  before  his  grave.  When 
the  old  sultan  dies,  the  new  one  calls  for  an  ox,  and  kills 
it  before  his  grave,  calling  on  Mulungu  to  witness  that  he 
is  the  rightful  sultan.  He  then  distributes  the  meat  in  his 
father's  name.' 

" '  Who  succeeds  the  sultan  ?     Is  he  the  eldest  son  ?' 

"  *  Yes,  if  he  has  a  son ;  if  childless,  the  great  chief  next 


114  THEIR   CODE   OF    JUSTICE. 

to  him  in  rank.  The  msagira  is  the  next  to  the  sultan, 
whose  business  it  is  to  hear  the  cause  of  complaint,  and 
convey  it  to  the  sultan,  who,  through  the  sultan,  dispenses 
justice ,  he  receives  the  honga,  carries  it  to  the  mtemi  (sul- 
tan), places  it  before  him,  and  when  the  sultan  has  taken 
what  he  wishes,  the  rest  goes  to  the  msagiri.  The  chiefs 
are  called  manya-para ;  the  msagiri  is  the  chief  manya- 
para.' 

" '  How  do  the  Wagogo  marry  ?' 

" '  Oh,  they  buy  their  women.' 

"  *  What  is  a  woman  worth  ?' 

" '  A  very  poor  man  can  buy  his  wife  from  her  father 
for  a  couple  of  goats.' 

"  *  How  much  has  the  sultan  got  to  pay  ?' 

" '  He  has  got  to  pay  about  one  hundred  goats,  or  so 
many  cows,  so  many  sheep  and  goats,  to  his  bride's  father. 
Of  course,  he  is  a  chief.  The  sultan  would  not  buy  a  com- 
mon woman.  The  father's  consent  is  to  be  obtained,  and 
the  cattle  have  to  be  given  up.  It  takes  many  days  to 
finish  the  talk  about  it.  All  the  family  and  friends  of  the 
bride  have  to  talk  about  it  before  she  leaves  her  father's 
house.' 

" '  In  cases  of  murder,  what  do  you  do  to  the  man  that 
kills  another?' 

" '  The  murderer  has  to  pay  fifty  cows.  If  he  is  too  poor 
to  pay,  the  sultan  gives  permission  to  the  murdered  man's 
friends  or  relatives  to  kill  him.  If  they  catch  him,  they 
tie  him  to  a  tree,  and  throw  spears  at  him — one  at  a  time 
first ;  they  then  spring  on  him,  cut  his  head  ofi",  then  his 
arms  and  limbs,  and  scatter  them  about  the  country.' 

"  *  How  do  you  punish  a  thief?' 

"*If  he  is  found  stealing,  he  is  killed  at  once,  and 
nothing  is  said  about  it.     Is  he  not  a  thief?' 

" '  But,  suppose  you  do  not  know  who  the  thief  is  ?' 


BELIEF   m   WITCHCRAFT.  117 

"  *  If  a  man  is  brought  before  us  accused  of  stealing,  we 
kill  a  chicken.  If  the  entrails  are  white,  he  is  innocent ; 
if  yellow,  he  is  guilty.' 

" '  Do  you  believe  in  witchcraft  ?' 

"  *  Of  course  we  do,  and  punish  the  man  with  death  who 
bewitches  cattle  or  stops  rain.' 

"  Sacrifices  of  human  life  as  penalty  for  witchcraft  and 
kindred  superstitions — indeed  for  many  trivial  offences — 
are  painfully  numerous  among  nearly  all  the  tribes. 

"  Next  to  Ugogo  is  Uyanzi,  or  the  *  Magunda  Mkali ' — 
the  Hot  Field. 

"  Uyanzi  or  Magunda  Mkali  is  at  present  very  populous. 
Along  the  northern  route — ^that  leading  via  Munieka — 
water  is  plentiful  enough,  villages  are  frequent  and  travelers 
begin  to  perceive  that  the  title  is  inappropriate.  The  people 
who  inhabit  the  country  are  Wakimbu  from  the  south. 
They  are  good  agriculturists,  and  are  a  most  industrious 
race.  They  are  something  like  the  "Wasagara  in  appear-^ 
ance,  but  do  not  obtain  a  very  high  reputation  for  bravery. 
Their  weapons  consist  of  light  spears,  bows  and  arrows, 
and  battle-axes.  Their  tembes  are  strongly  made,  showing 
considerable  skill  in  the  art  of  defensive  construction. 
Their  bomas  are  so  well  made,  that  one  would  require  can- 
non to  effect  an  entrance,  if  the  villages  were  at  all  defended. 
They  are  skillful,  also,  in  constructing  traps  for  elephants 
and  buffaloes.  A  stray  lion  or  leopard  is  sometimes  caught 
by  them." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BECKPTION  IN  UNYANTEMBB— HIS  HOUSE— REPOBTS  OF  THE  CHIEFS  OF  HIS  CARAVAKS— A  FEAST 
— LUXURIOrS  LIVING  OF  THE  ARABS— ARAB  COUNTRY— AVAR  AGAINST  MIRAMBO,  IN  WHICH 
STANLEY  BECOMES  AN  ALLY'— IS  TAKEN  SICK— BOMBAY  THRASHED— STANLEY  JOINS  THE  ARAB 
ARMY— CAPTURE  OF  MIRAMBO'S  STRONGHOLD — VILLAGES  LAID  WASTE— MIRAMBO'S  REVENGE — 
ARABS  DEFEATED  AND  STANLEY  LEFT  ALONE— IS  SICK— FINAL  DEPARTURE- HIS  INDOMITABLE 
■WILL  AND  COURAGE— A  TOUCHING  EXTRACT  FROM  HIS  JOLTlNAIr— DESERTERS— SHAW,  THE  L.AST 
WHITE  MAN,  LEFT  BEHIND — CORPSES  ON  THE  ROAD— MOLLIFIES  A  SULLEN  CHIEF— STRONG 
MEDICINE— A  LUDICROUS  SCENE— THE  PARADISE  OF  HUNTERS— A  EIGHT  ROYAL  HUNT. 

STANLEY  received  a  noiseless  ovation  in  Unyanjem- 
be  as  he  walked  with  the  governor  to  his  house.  Sol- 
diers and  men,  by  the  hundreds,  hovered  round  their 
chief,  staring  at  him,  while  the  naked  children  peered  be- 
•tween  the  legs  of  the  parents.  Tea  was  served  in  a  silver 
tea-pot,  and  a  sumptuous  breakfast  furnished,  which  Stan- 
ley devoured  only  as  a  hungry  man  can,  who  has  been  shut 
up  for  so  many  months  in  the  wilds  of  Africa. 

Then  pipes  and  tobacco  were  produced,  and  amid  the 
whiffs  of  smoke,  came  out  all  the  news  that  Stanley  had 
brought  from  Zanzibar,  while  the  gratified  sheikh  smoked 
and  listened.  When  Stanley  took  his  leave  to  look  after 
his  men  his  host  accompanied  him  to  show  him  the  house 
he  w^  to  occupy  while  he  remained.  It  was  commodious 
and  quite  luxurious  after  his  long  life  in  a  tent. 

All  the  caravans  had  arrived,  and  he  received  the  re- 
ports of  the  chief  of  each,  while  the  goods  were  unpacked 
and  examined.  One  had  had  a  fight  with  the  natives  and 
beaten  them,  another  had  shot  a  thief,  and  the  fourth  had 
lost  a  bale  of  goods.  On  the  whole,  Stanley  was  satisfied 
and  thankful  there  had  been  no  more  serious  misfortunes 

118 


THE   ARAB   CHIEFS   VISIT   STANLEY.  119 

Food  was  furnislied  with  lavish  prodigality,  and  while  he 
was  surfeiting  himself,  he  ordered  a  bullock  to  be  slain  for 
his  men,  now  reduced  to  twenty-five  in  number. 

On  the  second  day  of  his  arrival,  the  chief  Arabs  of 
Tabna  came  to  visit  him.  This  is  the  chief  Arab  settlement 
of  Central  Africa,  and  contains  a  thousand  huts  and  about 
five  thousand  inhabitants.  The  Arabs  are  a  fine,  handsome 
set  of  men,  and,  living  amid  rich  pastures,  raise  large  herds 
of  cattle  and  goats,  and  vegetables  of  all  kinds,  while  their 
slaves  bring  back  in  caravans  from  Zanzibar,  the  luxuries 
of  the  East,  not  only  coffee,  spices,  wines  and  salmon,  etc., 
but  Persian  carpets,  rich  bedding,  with  elegant  table  ser- 
vice. Some  of  them  sport  gold  watches  and  chains.  Each 
one  keeps  as  many  concubines  as  he  can  afford — the  size  of 
his  harem  being  limited  only  by  his  means. 

These  magnates  from  Tabna,  after  finishing  their  visit, 
invited  Stanley  to  visit  their  town  and  partake  of  a  feast 
they  had  prepared  for  him.  Three  days  after,  escorted  by 
eighteen  of  his  men,  he  returned  the  visit.  He  arrived  in 
time  to  attend  a  council  of  war  which  was  being  held,  as  to 
the  best  manner  of  asserting  their  rights  against  a  robber- 
chief  named  Mirambo.  He  had  carried  war  through  seve- 
ral tribes  and  claimed  the  right  to  waylay  and  rob  Arab 
caravans.  This  mtist  be  stopped,  and  it  was  resolved  to 
make  war  against  him  in  his  stronghold.  Stanley  agreed 
to  accompany  them,  taking  his  caravan  a  part  of  the  way 
and  leaving  it  until  Mirambo  was  defeated,  and  the  way  to 
Ujiji  cleared. 

Keturning  to  Unyanyembe,  he  found  the  caravan  which 
had  been  made  up  to  carry  supplies  to  Livingstone  in  No- 
vember 1st,  1870.  Having  gone  twenty-five  miles  from 
Zanzibar,  to  Bagomayo,  it  had  stayed  there  one  hundred 
days,  when,  hearing  that  the  English  consul  was  coming, 
had    started    off   in    affright   just   previous   to   Stanley. 


120  BOMBAY   THEASHED. 

Whether  owing  to  his  great  change  in  diet  or  some  other 
cause,  Stanley  was  now  stricken  down  with  fever,  and  for 
a  week  tossed  in  delirium.  Selim,  his  faithful  servant,  took 
care  of  him.  When  he  had  recovered,  the  latter  was 
seized  with  it. 

But  by  the  29th  of  July,  all  the  sick  had  recovered,  and 
the  caravan  was  loaded  up  for  Ujiji.  But  Bombay  was 
absent  and  they  had  to  wait  from  eight  o'clock  till  two  in 
the  afternoon,  he  stubbornly  refusing  to  leave  his  mistress. 
When  he  arrived  and  was  ordered  to  his  place  he  made  a 
savage  reply.  The  next  moment  Stanley's  cane  was  falling 
like  lightning  on  his  shoulders.  The  poor  fellow  soon 
cried  for  mercy.  The  order  "March"  was  then  given,  and 
the  guide,  with  forty  armed  men  behind  him,  led  off,  with 
flags  streaming.  At  first,  in  dead  silence,  they  moved 
on,  but  soon  struck  up  a  monotonous  sort  of  chorus,  which 
seemed  to  consist  mostly  of  "  Hoy,  hoy,"  and  was  kept  up 
all  day.  The  second  day,  he  arrived  at  Masaugi,  where  he 
was  told  the  Arabs  were  waiting  for  him  at  Mfuto,  six 
hours'  march  distant.  The  next  morning,  he  arrived  at 
the  place  where  the  Arab  army  was  gathered,  numbering 
in  all  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  men,  of 
these,  fifteen  hundred  were  armed  with  guns.  With  ban- 
ners flying  and  drums  beating,  they,  on  the  3d  of  August, 
marched  forth,  but  in  a  few  hours,  Stanley  was  stricken 
down  with  fever.  The  next  day,  however,  the  march  was 
resumed,  and  at  eleven  o'clock  Zimbize,  the  stronghold  of 
the  enemy,  came  in  view.  The  forces  quickly  surrounded 
it.  A  general  assault  followed  and  the  village  was  cap- 
tured, the  inhabitants  fleeing  toward  the  mountains,  pursued 
closely  by  the  yelling  Arabs.  Only  twenty  dead  bodies 
were  found  within.  The  next  day,  two  more  villages  were 
burned,  and  the  day  after,  a  detachment  of  five  hundred 
strong  scoured  the  country  around,  carrying  devastation 


Report  of  farquhar's  death.  121 

and  ruin  in  their  path.  At  this  critical  period  of  the  cam- 
paign, Stanley  was  again  taken  down  with  fever,  and  while 
he  lay  in  his  hammock,  news  came  that  the  detachment  of 
five  hundred  men  had  been  surprised  and  killed.  Mirambo 
had  turned  and  ambushed  them,  and  now  the  boasting  of  the 
morning  was  turning  into  despondency.  The  women  made 
the  night  hideous  with  shrieks  and  lamentations  over  their 
slain  husbands.  The  next  day,  there  was  a  regular  stam- 
pede of  the  Arabs,  and  when  Stanley  was  able  to  get  out 
of  his  tent  only  seven  men  were  left  to  him — all  the  rest 
had  returned  to  Mftu,  and  soon  after  to  Tabna,  twenty-five 
miles  distant.  It  was  plain  that  it  was  useless  to  open  the 
direct  road  to  Ujiji,  which  lay  through  Mirambo's  district. 
In  fact,  it  seemed  impossible  to  get  there  at  all,  and  the 
only  course  left  open  was  to  return  to  the  coast  and  abandon 
the  project  of  reaching  Livingstone  altogether.  But  what 
would  Livingstone  do  locked  up  at  Ujiji?  He  might  per- 
haps go  north  and  meet  Baker,  who  was  moving,  with  a 
strong  force,  southward.  But  he  was  told  by  a  man  that 
Livingstone  was  coming  to  Nyano  Lake  toward  the  Tanga- 
nika,  on  which  Ujiji  is  situated,  at  the  very  time  it  was  last 
reported  he  was  murdered.  He  was  then  walking,  dressed 
in  American  sheeting,  having  lost  all  his  cloth  in  Lake 
Leemba.  He  had  a  breech-loading  double-barreled  rifle 
with  him  and  two  revolvers.  Stanley  felt  that  he  could 
not  give  up  trying  to  reach  him,  now  it  was  so  probable 
that  he  was  within  four  hundred  miles  of  him. 

On  the  13th,  a  caravan  came  in  from  the  east  and  re- 
ported Farquhar  dead  at  the  place  where  he  had  left  him. 
Ten  days  after,  Mirambo  attacked  Tabna  and  set  it  on  fire. 
Stanley,  at  this  time,  was  encamjDed  at  Kwihara,  and  in 
sight  of  the  burning  town.  The  refugees  came  pouring  in, 
and  Stanley,  finding  the  men  willing  to  stand  by  him, 
began  to  prepare  for  defense,  and  counting  up  his  little 


122  Stanley's  last  despeeate  attempt. 

force,  found  he  had  one  hundred  and  fifty  men.  He  was 
not  attacked,  however,  and  five  days  after,  Mirambo  re- 
treated. The  Arabs  held  councils  of  war  and  urged  Stan- 
ley to  become  their  ally,  but  he  refused,  and  finally  took 
the  bold  resolution  of  organizing  a  flying  caravan,  and 
by  a  southern  route  and  quick  marching,  reach  Ujiji. 
This  was  August  27th,  and  the  third  month  he  had  been 
in  Unyanyembe.  Having  got  together  some  forty  men  in 
all,  he  gave  a  great  banquet  to  them  prior  to  their  de- 
parture, but  an  attack  of  fever  caused  him  to  postpone  it. 
But,  on  the  20th  of  September,  though  too  weak  to  travel, 
he  mustered  his  entire  force  outside  the  town,  and  found 
that,  by  additional  men  which  the  Arabs  had  succeeded  in 
securing,  it  now  numbered  fifty-four  men.  When  all  was 
ready,  Bombay  was  again  missing,  and  when  found  and 
brought  uj),  excused  himself,  as  of  old,  by  saying  he  was 
bidding  his  "  misses  "  good-bye.  As  he  seemed  inclined 
to  pick  a  quarrel  with  Stanley,  the  latter  not  being  in  the 
most  amiable  mood,  and  wishing  to  teach  the  others  a 
lesson,  gave  him  a  sound  thrashing. 

Soon,  everything  being  ready,  the  word  "  march"  passed 
down  the  line,  and  Stanley  started  on  his  last  desperate 
attempt  to  push  on  to  Ujiji — not  much  farther  than  from 
Albany  to  Bufialo  as  the  crow  flies — but  by  the  way  he 
would  be  compelled  to  go,  no  one  knew  how  far,  nor  what 
time  it  would  take  to  reach  it.  But  Stanley  had  good 
reason  to  believe  that  Livingstone  was  alive,  and  from  the 
reports  he  could  get  of  his  movements,  must  this  time  be 
at  or  near  Ujiji,  and  therefore  to  Ujiji  he  was  determined 
to  go,  unless  death  stopped  his  progress.  He  had  been 
sent  on  a  mission,  and  although  the  conditions  were  not 
that  he  should  surmount  impossibilities,  he  would  come  as 
near  to  it  as  human  effort  could  approach.  Though  sick 
with  fever,  and  with  that  prostration  and  utter  loss  of  will 


STANLEYS   TENACITY   OP   PURPOSE.  123 

accompanying  it,  he,  nevertheless,  with  that  marvelous 
energy  that  is  never  exhibited  except  in  rare  exceptional 
characters,  kept  his  great  object  in  view.  That  never  lost 
its  hold  on  him  under  the  most  disastrous  circumstances — 
neither  in  the  delirium  of  fever  nor  in  the  utter  prostration 
that  followed  it  This  tenacity  of  purpose  and  indomitable 
will  ruling  and  governing  him,  where  in  all  other  men  it 
would  have  had  no  po^er,  exhibit  the  extraordinary  quali- 
•  ties  of  this  extraordinary  man.  We  do  not  believe  that 
he  himself  was  fully  aware  of  this  inherent  power,  this  fix- 
edness of  purpose  that  makes  him  different  from  all  other 
men.  No  man  possessing  it  is  conscious  of  it  any  more 
than  an  utterly  fearless  man  is  conscious  of  his  own  cour- 
age. The  following  touching  extract  from  his  journal  at 
this  time  lets  in  a  flood  of  light  on  the  character  and  the 
inner  life  of  this  remarkable  man  : 

"About  10  P.  M.,  the  fever  had  gone.  All  were  asleep 
in  the  tembe  but  myself,  and  an  unutterable  loneliness  came 
on  me  as  I  reflected  on  my  position,  and  my  intentions,  and 
felt  the  utter  lack  of  sympathy  with  me  in  all  around. 
Even  my  own  white  assistant,  with  whom  I  had  striven 
hard,  was  less  sympathizing  than  my  little  black  boy  Ka- 
lulu.  It  requires  more  nerve  than  I  possess  to  dispel  all 
the  dark  presentiments  that  come  upon  the  mind.  But, 
probably,  what  I  call  presentiments  are  simply  the  impress 
on  the  mind  of  the  warnings  which  these  false-hearted 
Arabs  have  repeated  so  often.  This  melancholy  and  lone- 
liness which  I  feel,  may  probably  have  their  origin  from 
the  same  cause.  The  single  candle  which  barely  lights  up 
the  dark  shade  which  fills  the  corners  of  my  room,  is  but 
a  poor  incentive  to  cheerfulness.  I  feel  as  though  I  were 
imprisoned  between  stone  walls.  But  wliy  should  I  feel  as 
if  baited  by  these  stupid,  slow-witted  Arabs,  and  their  warn- 
ings and  croakings  ?  I  fancy  a  suspicion  haunts  my  mind, 
as  I  write,  that  there  lies  some  motive  behind  all  this. 


124  A   TOUCHING   EXTRACT. 

"  I  wonder  if  these  Arabs  tell  me  all  these  things  to  keep 
me  here,  in  the  hope  that  I  may  be  induced  another  time 
to  assist  them  in  their  war  against  Mirambo!  If  they 
thinlii  so,  they  are  much  mistaken,  for  I  have  taken  a 
solemn,  enduring  oath — an  oath  to  be  kept  while  the  least 
hope  of  life  remains  in  me — not  to  be  tempted  to  break  the 
resolution  I  have  formed,  never  to  give  up  the  search  until 
I  find  Livingstone  alive,  or  find  his  dead  body ;  and  never 
to  return  home  without  the  strongest  possible  proofs  that 
he  is  alive  or  that  he  is  dead.  No  living  man  or  living 
men  shall  stop  me — only  death  can  prevent  me.  But 
death — not  even  this ;  I  shall  not  die — I  will  not  die — ^I 
cannot  die ! 

"And  something  tells  me,  I  do  not  know  what  it  is — 
perhaps  it  is  the  everliving  hopefulness  of  my  own  nature ; 
perhaps  it  is  the  natural  presumption  born  out  of  an 
abundant  and  glowing  vitality,  or  the  outcome  of  an  over- 
weening confidence  in  one's-self — anyhow  and  everyhow, 
something  tells  me  to-night  I  shall  find  him,  and — write  it 
larger — Find  him  !  Find  him  !  Even  the  words  are  in- 
spiring. I  feel  more  happy.  Have  I  uttered  a  prayer  ? 
I  shall  sleep  calmly  to-night." 

There  is  nothing  in  this  whole  terribly  journey  so  touch- 
ing, and  revealing  so  much,  as  this  extract  from  his  jour- 
nal does.  It  shows  that  he  is  human,  and  yet  far  above 
common  human  weakness.  Beset  with  difiiculties,  his  only 
white  companion  dead  or  about  to  be  left  behind,  the  Arabs 
themselves  and  the  natives  telling  him  he  cannot  go  on,  left 
all  alone  in  a  hostile  country,  his  men  deserting  him,  he 
pauses  and  ponders.  To  make  all  these  outer  conditions 
darker,  he  is  smitten  down  with  fever  that  saps  the  energies, 
unnerves  the  heart  and  fills  the  imagination  with  gloomy 
forebodings,  and  makes  the  soul  sigh  for  rest.  It  is  the 
lowest  pit  of  despondency  into  which  a  man  may  be  cast. 


TWENTY   MEN   DESERT.  125 

He  feels  it,  and  all  alone,  fever  worn  and  sad,  lie  surveys  the 
prospect  before  him.  There  is  not  a  single  soul  on  which 
to  lean — not  a  sympathizing  heart  to  turn  to  while  fever  is 
burning  up  his  brain,  and  night,  moonless  and  starless,  is 
settling  down  around  him.  He  would  be  less  than  human 
not  to  feel  the  desolation  of  his  position,  and  for  a  moment 
sink  under  this  accumulation  of  disastrous  circumstances* 
He  does  feel  how  utterly  hopeless  and  sad  is  his  condition; 
and  all  through  the  first  part  of  this  entry  in  his  journal, 
there  is  something  that  sounds  like  a  mournful  refrain — 
yet  at  its  close,  out  of  his  gloomy  surroundings,  up  from  his 
feverish  bed  speaks  the  brave  heart  in  trumpet  tones, 
showing  the  indomitable  will  that  nothing  can  break,  cry- 
ing out  of  the  all-enveloping  gloom,  "wo  living  man  or 
living  men  shall  stop  me — only  death  can  prevent  me." 
There  spoke  one  of  the  few  great  natures  God  has  made. 
The  closing  words  of  that  entry  in  his  journal  ring  like  a 
bugle-note  from  his  sick-bed,  and  foretell  his  triumph. 

But,  at  last,  they  were  off.  Shaw,  the  last  white  man  left 
to  Stanley,  had  been  sick,  and  apparently  indifferent  whether 
he  lived  or  died ;  but  all,  after  a  short  march,  became  en- 
livened, and  things  looked  more  promising.  But  Stanley 
was  again  taken  sick  with  the  fever ;  the  men  began  to  be 
discouraged.  Staggering  from  his  sick-bed,  he  found  that 
twenty  of  his  men  had  deserted.  Aroused  at  this  new 
danger,  he  instantly  dispatched  twenty  men  after  them, 
while  he  sent  his  faithful  follower,  Selim,  to  an  Arab  chief 
to  borrow  a  long  slave-chain.  At  night,  the  messengers 
returned  with  nine  of  the  missing  men.  Stanley  then  told 
them  that  he  had  never  used  the  slave-chain,  but  now  he 
should  on  the  first  deserters.  He  had  resolved  to  go  to 
Ujiji,  where  he  believed  Dr.  Livingstone  was,  and  being  so 
near  the  accomplishment  of  the  mission  he  was  sent  on,  he 
was  ready  to  resort  to  any  measures  rather  than  fail.    Deferr- 


126  SHAW  LEFT  BEHIND. 

ing  the  use  of  tlie  chain  at  present,  he  started  forward  and 
encamped  at  Iresaka.  In  the  morning,  two  more  men 
were  missing.  Irritated  but  determined,  this  resolute  man 
halted,  sent  back  for  the  fugitives,  caught  them,  and  when 
brought  back,  flogged  them  severely  and  chained  them. 
Notwithstanding  this  severe  treatment,  the  next  morning 
another  man  deserted,  while,  to  add  to  his  perplexities  and 
enhance  the  difficulties  that  surrounded  him,  a  man  who 
had  accomj^anied  him  all  the  way  from  the  coast  asked  to 
be  discharged,  while  several  others  of  the  expedition  were 
taken  sick  and  unable  to  proceed ;  and  it  seemed,  notwith- 
standing the  resolute  will  of  the  leader,  that  the  expedition 
must  break  up.  But,  fortunately,  that  evening  men  who 
had  been  in  caravans  to  the  coast  entered  the  village 
where  they  were  encamped,  with  wondrous  stories  of  what 
they  had  seen  on  the  coast,  which  revived  the  spirits  of  all, 
and  the  next  morning  they  started  off,  and  after  three 
hours'  march  through  the  forest  came  to  Kigandu.  Shaw, 
the  last  white  man  now  left  to  him,  between  real  and 
feigned  sickness,  had  become  such  a  burden,  that  he  deter- 
mined to  leave  him  behind,  as  the  latter  had  often  requested 
to  be. 

That  night,  the  poor  wretch  played  on  an  old  accordion 
"  Home,  Sweet  Home,"  which,  miserable  as  it  was,  stirred 
the  depths  of  Stanley's  heart,  now  about  to  be  left  alone 
amid  Arabs  and  natives  in  the  most  desperate  part  of  his 
undertaking.  But  it  could  not  be  helped — speed  was  now 
everything  on  this  new  route,  or  Mirambo  would  close  it 
also.  So  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  he  ordered  the  horn 
to  sound  "  get  ready,"  and  Shaw  being  sent  back  to  Kwi- 
hara,  set  off  on  his  southern  unknown  route  to  Ujiji  with 
his  caravan,  and  entered  the  dark  forests  and  pressed  rap- 
idly forward,  and  in  seven  hours  reached  the  village  of 
Ugunda,  numbering  two  thousand  souls.     It  was  well  forti- 


Stanley's  diplomacy.  127 

fled  against  the  robber,  Mirambo.  Around  their  principal 
village,  some  three  thousand  square  acres  were  under  culti- 
vation, giving  them  not  only  all  the  provisions  they  wanted 
for  their  own  use,  but  also  enough  for  passing  caravans, 
besides  furnishing  carriers  for  those  in  want  of  them.  On 
the  28th,  they  arrived  at  a  small  village  well  supplied  with 
corn,  and  the  next  day  reached  Kikuru,  a  place  impreg- 
nated with  the  most  deadly  of  African  fevers.  Over  desert 
plains,  now  sheering  on  one  side  to  avoid  the  corpse  of  a 
man  dead  from  the  small-pox,  the  scourge  of  Africa,  and 
now  stumbling  on  a  skeleton,  the  caravan  kept  on  till  they 
came  to  the  cultivated  fields  of  Manyara.  A  wilderness 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five  miles  in  extent  stretched  out 
before  them  from  this  place,  and  Stanley  was  inclined  to 
be  very  conciliatory  toward  the  chief  of  the  village,  in 
order  to  get  provisions  for  the  long  and  desperate  march 
before  him.  But  the  chief  was  very  sullen  and  wholly 
indifferent  to  the  presents  the  white  man  offered  him. 
With  adroit  diplomacy,  Stanley  sent  to  him  some  magnifi- 
cent royal  cloths,  which  so  mollified  the  chief  that  abundant 
provisions  were  soon  sent  in,  followed  by  the  chief  himself 
with  fifty  warriors  bearing  gifts  quite  equal  to  those  which 
Stanley  sent  him,  and  they  entered  the  tent  of  the  first 
white  man  they  had  ever  seen.  Looking  at  him  for  some 
time  in  silent  surprise,  the  chiefs  burst  into  an  incontrollable 
fit  of  laughter,  accompanied  with  snapping  their  fingers. 
But  when  they  were  shown  the  sixteen-shooters  and 
revolvers  their  astonishment  knew  no  bounds,  while  the 
double-barreled  guns,  heavily  charged,  made  them  jump  to 
their  feet  with  alarm,  followed  by  convulsions  of  laughter. 
Stanley  then  showed  them  his  chest  of  medicine,  and 
finally  gave  them  a  dose  in  the  form  of  brandy.  They 
tasted  it,  making  wry  faces,  when  he  produced  a  bottle  of 
concentrated  ammonia,  saying  it  was  for  snake  bites.     One 


128  THE  hunter's  paradise. 

of  the  chiefs  asked  for  some  of  it.  It  was  suddenly  pre- 
sented to  his  nose,  when  his  features  underwent  such  inde- 
scribable contortions  that  the  other  chiefs  burst  into  con- 
vulsions of  laughter,  clapped  their  hands,  pinched  each 
other  and  went  through  all  sorts  of  ludicrous  gesticulations. 
When  the  chief  recovered  himself,  the  tears  in  the  mean- 
while rolling  down  his  cheeks,  he  laughed  and  simply  said, 
"  strong  medicine."  The  others  then  took  a  sniff  and  went 
off  into  paroxysms  of  laughter. 

Wednesday,  October  4th,  found  them  traveling  toward 
the  Gombe  River.  They  had  hardly  left  the  waving  corn- 
fields, when  they  came  in  sight  of  a  large  herd  of  zebras. 
Passing  on,  the  open  forest  resembled  a  magnificent  park, 
filled  with  buffalo,  zebra,  giraffe,  antelope  and  other  tropi- 
cal animals,  while  the  scenery  on  every  side  was  entrancing. 
These  noble  animals,  coursing  in  their  wild  freedom 
through  those  grand,  primeval  forests,  presented  a  mag- 
nificent sight.  Stanley,  thoroughly  aroused,  crept  back  to 
his  camp,  which  had  been  pitched  on  the  Gombe  River, 
and  prepared  for  a  right  royal  hunt.     He  says : 

"  Here,  at  last,  was  the  hunter's  paradise !  How  petty 
and  insignificant  appeared  my  hunts  after  small  antelope 
and  wild  boar ;  what  a  foolish  waste  of  energies,  those  long 
walks  through  damp  grasses  and  thorny  jungles.  Did  I 
not  well  remember  my  first  bitter  experience  in  African 
jungles,  when  in  the  maritime  region  ?  But  this — where 
is  the  nobleman's  park  that  can  match  this  scene  ?  Here  is 
a  soft,  velvety  expanse  of  young  grass,  grateful  shade  under 
close,  spreading  clumps,  herds  of  large  and  varied  game 
browsing  within  easy  rifle-shot.  Surely  I  must  feel  amply 
compensated  now  for  the  long  southern  detour  I  have 
made,  when  such  a  prospect  as  this  opens  to  the  view !  No 
thorny  jungles  and  rank-smelling  swamps  are  to  daunt  the 
hunter,  and  to  sicken  his  aspirations  after  true  sport.     No 


STALKING   ANTELOPE.  131 

hunter  could  aspire  after  a  nobler  field  to-  display  his 
prowess. 

"  Having  settled  the  position  of  the  camp,  which  over- 
looked one  of  the  pools  found  in  the  depression  of  the 
Gombe  Creek,  I  took  my  double-barreled  smooth  bore,  and 
sauntered  off  to  the  park-land.  Emerging  from  behind  a 
clump,  three  fine,  plump  spring-bok  were  seen  browsing 
on  the  young  grass  just  within  one  hundred  yards.  I  knelt 
down  arid  fired ;  one  unfortunate  antelope  bounded  forward 
instinctively  and  fell  dead.  Its  companions  sprang  high 
into  the  air,  taking  leaps  about  twelve  feet  in  length,  as  if 
they  were  quadrupeds  practising  gymnastics,  and  away 
they  vanished,  rising  up  like  India-rubber  balls,  until  a 
knoll  hid  them  from  view.  My  success  was  hailed  with 
loud  shouts  by  the  soldiers,  who  came  running  out  from 
the  camp  as  soon  as  they  heard  the  reverberation  of  the 
gun,  and  my  gun-bearer  had  his  knife  at  the  throat  of  the 
beast,  uttering  a  fervent  *  Bismillah '  as  he  almost  severed 
the  head  from  the  body. 

"  Hunters  were  now  directed  to  proceed  east  and  north 
to  procure  meat,  because  in  each  caravan  it  generally  hap- 
pens that  there  are  fundi  whose  special  trade  it  is  to  hunt 
for  meat  for  the  camp.  Some  of  these  are  experts  in  stalk- 
ing, but  often  find  themselves  in  dangerous  positions,  owing 
to  the  near  approach  necessary  before  they  can  fire  their 
most  inaccurate  weapons  with  any  certainty. 

"After  luncheon,  consisting  of  spring-bok  steak,  hot 
corn-cake  and  a  cup  of  Mocha  coffee,  I  strolled  toward  the 
south-west,  accompanied  by  Kalulu  and  Majwara,  two  boy 
gun-bearers.  The  tiny  perpusilla  started  up  like  rabbits 
from  me  as  I  stole  along  through  the  underbrush ;  the 
honey-bird  hopped  from  tree  to  tree  chirping  its  call,  as  if 
it  thought  I  was  seeking  the  little  sweet  treasure,  the  hiding- 
place  of  which  it  only  knew;  but,  jio!  I  neither  desired  » 


132  SHOOTING    A   ZEBEA. 

perpusilla  nor  the  lioney.  I  was  on  the  search  for  some- 
thing great  this  day.  Keen-eyed  fish-eagles  and  bustards 
poised  on  trees  above  the  sinuous  Gonibe  thought,  and  pro- 
bably with  good  reason,  that  I  was  after  them,  judging  by 
the  ready  flight  with  which  both  species  disappeared  as 
they  sighted  ray  approach.  Ah,  no!  nothing  but  harte 
beest,  zebra,  giraffe,  eland  and  buffalo  this  day. 

"  After  following  the  Gombe's  course  for  about  a  mile, 
delighting  my  eyes  with  long  looks  at  the  broad  and 
lengthy  reaches  of  water,  to  which  I  was  so  long  a  stranger, 
I  came  upon  a  scene  which  delighted  the  innermost 
recesses  of  my  soul;  five,  six,  seven,  eight,  ten  zebras 
switching  their  beautiful  striped  bodies,  and  biting  one 
another,  within  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards.  The 
scene  was  so  pretty,  so  romantic,  never  did  I  so  thoroughly 
realize  that  I  was  in  Central  Africa.  I  felt  momentarily 
proud  that  I  owned  such  a  vast  dominion,  inhabited  by 
such  noble  beasts.  Here  I  possessed,  within  reach  of  a 
leaden  ball,  any  one  I  chose  of  the  beautiful  animals,  the 
pride  of  the  African  forests.  It  was  at  my  option  to  shoot 
any  one  of  them.  Mine  they  were,  without  money  and 
.  without  price ;  yet,  knowing  this,  twice  I  dropped  my  rifle, 
loath  to  wound  the  royal  beasts,  but — crack !  and  a  royal 
one  was  on  his  back,  battling  the  air  with  his  legs.  Ah, 
it  was  such  a  pity !  but  hasten,  draw  the  keen,  sharp-edged 
knife  across  the  beautiful  stripes  which  fold  around  the 
throat,  and — what  an  ugly  gash !  it  is  done,  and  I  have  a 
superb  animal  at  my  feet.  Hurrah !  I  shall  taste  of  Uko- 
nongo  zebra  to-night. 

"  I  thought  a  spring-bok  and  zebra  enough  for  one  day's 
sport,  especially  after  a  long  march.  The  Gombe,  a  long 
stretch  of  deep  water,  winding  in  and  out  of  green  groves, 
calm,  placid,  with  lotus  leaves  resting  lightly  on  its  surface, 
all  pretty,  picturesque,  peaceful  as  a  summer's  dream,  looked 


A   NARROW   ESCAPE.  133 

very  inviting  for  a  bath.  I  sought  out  the  most  shady  spot 
under  a  wide-spreading  mimosa,  from  which  the  ground 
sloped  smooth  as  a  lawn  to  the  still,  clear  water.  I  ven- 
tured to  undress,  and  had  already  stepped  to  my  ankles  in 
'the  w^ater,  and  had  brought  my  hands  together  for  a  glori- 
ous dive,  when  my  attention  was  attracted  by  an  enor- 
mously long  body  which  shot  into  view,  occupying  the 
spot  beneath  the  surface  which  I  was  about  to  explore  by  a 
'header.'  Great  heavens,  it  was  a  crocodile!  I  sprang 
back  instinctively,  and  this  proved  my  salvation,  for  the 
monster  turned  away  with  the  most  disappointed  look,  and 
I  was  left  to  congratulate  myself  upon  my  narrow  escape 
from  his  jaws,  and  to  register  a  vow  never  to  be  tempted 
again  by  the  treacherous  calm  of  an  African  river." 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

A  BEAtrnFUL  PICTtTEE— A  MUTINY— NARROW  ESCAPE  OF  STANLEY— SAVED  BY  HIS  PROMPT  COUR- 
AGE—SWIFT PUNISHMENT  OF  THE  LEADERS  OF  THE  MUTINY— EXCITING  NEWS  FROM  UJIJI— DIF- 
FICULTIES IN  THE  WAY— RESOLVES  TO  GO  ROUND  THE  NEXT  VILLAGE— STEALTHY  MARCHING— 
A  NEW  DANGER— VAIN  ATTEMPT  TO  STOP  A  WOMAN  SCREAMING— RAPID  MARCHING— STANLEY 
STARTLED  BY  THE  SOUND  OF  AVAVES  BURSTING  IN  ROCKY  CAVERNS- AN  UNEXPECTED  DANGER 
—NARROW  ESCAPE— THE  END  APPROACHES- HURRAH. 

THE  following  extract  from  liis  journal,  written  up  that 
night,  shows  that  this  strong,  determined,  fearless 
man  was  not  merely  a  courageous  lion,  but  possessed,  also, 
the  eye  of  an  artist  and  the  soul  of  a  poet.  With  a  few 
strokes  of  his  pen,  he  sketches  a  picture  on  the  banks  of 
the  forest-lined  river,  full  of  life  and  beauty : 

"  The  adventures  of  the  day  were  over ;  the  azure  of  the 
sky  had  changed  to  a  deep  gray ;  the  moon  was  appearing 
just  over  the  trees ;  the  water  of  the  Gombe  was  like  a 
silver  belt;  hoarse  frogs  bellowed  their  notes  loudly  by 
the  margin  of  the  creek ;  the  fish-eagles  uttered  their  dirge- 
like cries  as  they  were  perched  high  on  the  tallest  trees ; 
elands  snorted  their  warning  to  the  herd  in  the  forest; 
stealthy  forms  of  the  carnivora  stole  through  the  dark 
woods  outside  of  our  camp.  Within  the  high  inclosure  of 
bush  and  thorn  which  we  had  raised  about  our  camp,  all 
was  jollity,  laughter  and  radiant,  genial  comfort.  Around 
every  camp-fire,  dark  forms  of  men  were  seen  squatted: 
one  man  gnawed  at  a  luscious  bone ;  another  sucked  the 
rich  marrow  in  a  zebra's  leg  bone;  another  turned  the 
stick,  garnished  with  huge  kabobs,  to  the. bright  blaze; 
another  held  a  large  rib  over  a  flame ;  there  were  others 

134 


A  MUTINY.  135 

busy  stirring,  industriously,  great  black  potfuls  of  ugali, 
and  watching  anxiously  the  meat  simmering,  and  the  soup 
bubbling,  while  the  firelight  flickered  and  danced  bravely, 
and  cast  a  bright  glow  over  the  naked  forms  of  the  men, 
and  gave  a  crimson  tinge  to  the  tall  tent  that  rose  in  the 
centre  of  the  camp,  like  a  temple  sacred  to  some  mysteri- 
ous god ;  the  fires  cast  their  reflections  upon  the  massive 
arms  of  the  trees,  as  they  branched  over  our  camp ;  and, 
in  the  dark  gloom  of  their  foliage,  the  most  fantastic 
shadows  were  visible.  Altogether,  it  was  a  wild,  romantic 
and  impressive  scene." 

They  halted  here  for  two  days,  the  men  hunting  and 
gormandizing.  Like  all  animals,  after  gorging  themselves 
they  did  not  want  to  move,  and  when,  on  the  7th  of  Octo- 
ber, Stanley  ordered  the  caravan  to  be  put  in  motion,  the 
men  refused  to  stir.  Stanley  at  once  walked  swiftly  toward 
them  with  his  double-barreled  gun,  loaded  with  buck  shot, 
in  his  hand.  As  he  did  so  he  saw  the  men  seize  their 
guns.  He,  however,  kept  resolutely  on  till  within  thirty 
yards  of  two  men,  whose  heads  were  peering  above  an  ant- 
hill, with  their  guns  pointed  across  the  road — then  sud- 
denly halting,  he  took  deliberate  aim  at  them,  determined, 
come  what  would,  to  blow  out  their  brains.  One  of  them, 
a  giant,  named  Azmani,  instantly  brought  up  his  gun  with 
his  finger  on  the  trigger.  "  Drop  that  gun  or  you  are  a 
dead  man,"  shouted  Stanley.  They  obeyed  and  came  for- 
ward, but  he  saw  that  murder  was  in  Azmani's  eyes.  The 
other  man,  at  the  second  order,  laid  down  his  gun  and, 
with  a  blow  from  Stanley  that  sent  him  reeling  away,  sneaked 
off.  But  the  giant,  Azmani,  refused  to  obey,  and  Stanley 
aiming  his  piece  at  his  head  and  touching  the  trigger  was 
about  to  fire.  The  former  quickly  lifted  his  gun  up  to  his 
shoulder  to  shoot.  In  another  second  he  would  have  fallen 
dead  at  Stanley's  feet.    At  this  moment  an  Arab,  who  had 


136  Stanley's  naeeow  escape. 

approached  from  behind,  struck  up  the  wretch's  gun  and 
exclaimed,  "  Man,  how  dare  you  point  j^our  gun  at  the 
master?"  This  saved  his  life,  and  perhaps  Stanley's  also.  It 
required  nerves  of  iron  in  a  man  thus  to  stand  up  all  alone 
in  the  heart  of  an  African  forest  surrounded  by  savages 
and  defy  them  all,  and  cow  them  all.  But  the  trouble  was 
over,  peace  was  concluded,  and  the  men  with  one  accord 
agreed  to  go  on.  The  two  instigators  of  this  mutiny  were 
Bombay  and  a  savage,  named  Ambari.  Snatching  up  a 
spear  Stanley  immediately  gave  the  former  a  terrible 
pounding  with  the  handle.  Then  turning  on  the  latter, 
who  stood  looking  on  with  a  mocking  face,  he  administered 
the  same  punishment  to  him — after  which  he  put  them 
both  in  chains. 

For  the  next  fourteen  days,  nothing  remarkable  occurred 
in  the  march,  which  had  been  in  a  south-westerly  direction. 
Near  a  place  called  Mrera,  Stanley,  for  the  first  time,  saw  a 
herd  of  wild  elephants,  and  was  deeply  impressed  with  their 
lordly  appearance.  Here  Selim  was  taken  sick,  and  the 
caravan  halted  for  three  days,  Stanley  spending  the  inter- 
val in  mending  his  shoes. 

He  now  had  four  districts  to  traverse,  which  would  oc- 
cupy him  twenty-five  days.  Taking  a  north-westerly  route 
having,  as  he  thought,  got  around  the  country  of  Mirambo, 
he  pushed  forward  with  all  speed.  Buffaloes,  leopards  and 
lions  were  encountered;  the  country  was  diversified,  and 
many  of  the  petty  chiefs  grasping  and  unfriendly,  so  that 
it  was  a  constant,  long,  wearisome  fight  with  obstacles  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end  of  each  week.  But,  on  November 
3d,  a  caravan  of  eighty  came  into  Stanley's  camp  from  the 
westward.  The  latter  asked  the  news.  They  replied  that 
a  white  man  had  just  arrived  at  Ujiji.  This  was  startling 
news  indeed. 

"A  white  man!"  exclaimed  Stanley. 


NEWS   FROM   UJIJI.  137 

"  Yes,  a  white  man." 

"  How  is  he  dressed  ?" 

"  Like  the  master,"  pointing  to  him. 

"  Is  he  young  or  old  ?" 

"  He  is  old,  with  white  hair  on  his  face ;  and  he  is  sick." 

"  Where  has  he  come  from  ?"  was  the  next  anxious  in- 
quiry. 

"  From  a  very  far  country,  away  heyond  Uguhha." 

"  And  is  he  now  stopping  at  Ujiji?" 

"  Yes,  we  left  him  there  eight  days  ago." 

"  How  long  is  he  going  to  stay  there  ?" 

"  Don't  know." 

"  Was  he  ever  there  before  ?" 

"  Yes ;  he  went  away  a  long  time  ago." 

Stanley  gave  a  shout  of  exultation,  exclaiming :  "  It  is 
Livingstone !"      • 

Then  came  the  thought,  it  may  he  some  other  man. 
Perhaps  it  is  Baker,  who  has  worked  his  way  in  there  be- 
fore me.  It  was  a  crushing  thought,  that  after  all  his 
sufferings,  and  sickness,  and  toils,  he  should  have  been 
anticipated,  and  there  was  now  nothing  left  for  him  to  do 
but  march  back  again.  No  he  exclaimed  to  himself: 
"  Baker  has  no  white  hair  on  his  face."  But  he  could  now 
wait  no  longer,  and  turning  to  his  men,  he  asked  them  if 
they  were  willing  to  march  to  Ujiji  without  a  single  halt. 
If  they  were,  he  would,  on  their  arrival,  present  each  two 
doti  of  cloth.  They  all  shouted  yes.  Stanley  jots  down : 
"  I  was  madly  rejoiced,  intensely  eager  to  resolve  the  burn- 
ing question,  'Is  it  Dr.  Livingstone?'  God  grant  me 
patience ;  but  I  do  wish  there  was  a  railroad,  or  at  least, 
horses,  in  this  country.  With  a  horse  I  could  reach  him 
in  twelve  hours." 

But  new  dangers  confronted  him.  The  chiefs  became 
more  exhorbitant  in  their  demands  and  more  hostile  in 


138  FRESH   DIFFICULTIES. 

their  demonstrations,  and  but  for  Stanley's  eagerness  to  get 
on,  he  would  more  than  once  have  fought  his  way  through 
some  of  those  pertinacious  tribes.  But  his  patience,  at  last, 
gave  out,  for  he  was  told  after  he  had  settled  the  last 
tribute  that  there  were  five  more  chiefs  ahead  who  would 
exact  tribute.  This  would  beggar  him,  and  he  asked  two 
natives  if  there  was  no  way  of  evading  the  next  chief, 
named  Wahha. 

"  This  rather  astonished  them  at  first,  and  they  declared 
it  to  be  impossible;  but,  finally,  after  being  pressed,  they  re- 
plied that  one  of  their  number  should  guide  us  at  midnight, 
or  a  little  after,  into  the  jungle  which  grew  on  the  frontiers 
of  Uhha  and  Uvinza.  By  keeping  a  direct  west  course 
through  this  jungle  until  we  came  to  Ukavanga,  we  might 
be  enabled — we  were  told — ^to  travel  through  Uhha  with- 
out further  trouble.  If  I  were  willing  to  pay  the  guide 
twelve  doti,  and  if  I  were  able  to  impose  silence  on  my 
people  while  passing  through  tlie  sleeping  village,  the  guide 
was  positive  I  could  reach  Ujiji  without  paying  another 
doti.  It  is  needless  to  add  that  I  accepted  the  proffered 
assistance  at  such  a  price  with  joy. 

"  But  there  was  much  to  be  done.  Provisions  were  to 
be  purchased,  sufficient  to  last  four  days,  for  the  tramp 
through  the  jungle,  and  men  were  at  once  sent  with  cloth 
to  purchase  grain  at  any  price.  Fortune  favored  us,  for, 
before  8  P.  M.  we  had  enough  for  six  days. 

"  November  7th. — I  did  not  go  to  sleep  at  all  last  night, 
but  a  little  after  midnight,  as  the  moon  was  beginning  to 
show  itself,  by  gangs  of  four  the  men  stole  quietly  out  of 
the  village ;  and  by  3  A.  M.  the  entire  expedition  was  out- 
side the  bonna  and  not  the  slightest  alarm  had  been  made. 
After  whistling  to  the  new  guide,  the  expedition  began  to 
move  in  a  southern  direction  along  the  right  bank  of  the 
Kanenzi  Biver.     After  an  hour's  march  in  this  direction. 


THE   MIDNIGHT   MARCH.  139 

we  struck  west  across  the  grassy  plain,  and  maintained  it, 
despite  the  obstacles  we  encountered,  which  were  sore 
enough  to  naked  men.  The  bright  moon  lighted  our 
path;  dark  clouds  now  and  then  cast  immense  long 
shadows  over  the  deserted  and  silent  plain,  and  the  moon- 
beams were  almost  obscured,  and  at  such  times  our  po- 
sition seemed  awful — 

"'Till  the  moon, 
Rising  in  clouded  majesty,  at  length, 
Apparent  queen,  unveiled  her  peerless  light, 
And  o'er  the  dark  her  silver  mantle  threw.' 

"  Bravely  toiled  the  men,  without  murmur,  though  their 
legs  were  bleeding  from  the  cruel  grass.  'Ambrosial 
morn'  at  last  appeared,  with  all  its  beautiful  and  lovely 
features.  Heaven  was  born  anew  to  us,  with  comforting 
omens  and  cheery  promise.  The  men,  though  fatigued  at 
the  unusual  travel,  sped  forward  with  quicker  pace  as 
daylight  broke,  until,  at  8  A.  M.,  we  sighted  the  swift 
Rusugi  River,  when  a  halt  was  ordered  in  a  clump  of 
jungle  near  it,  for  breakfast  and  rest.  Both  banks  of  the 
river  were  alive  with  buffalo,  eland  and  antelope,  but 
though  the  sight  was  very  tempting,  we  did  not  fire, 
because  we  dared  not.  The  report  of  a  gun  would  have 
alarmed  the  whole  country.  I  preferred  my  coffee,  and 
the  contentment  which  my  mind  experienced  at  our 
success. 

"  An  hour  after  we  had  rested,  some  natives  carrying 
salt  from  the  Malagarazi  were  seen  coming  up  the  right 
bank  of  the  river.  When  abreast  of  our  hiding-place 
they  detected  us,  and  dropping  their  salt-bags,  they  took 
to  their  heels  at  once,  shouting  out  as  they  ran,  to  alarm 
some  villages  that  appeared  some  four  miles  north  of  us. 
The  men  were  immediately  ordered  to  take  up  their  loads, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  we  had  crossed  the  Kusugi,  and  were 


140  TAMING   A   SHEEW. 

making  direct  for  a  bamboo  jungle  that  appeared  in  our 
front.  Almost  as  soon  as  we  entered,  a  weak-brained 
woman  raised  a  series  of  piercing  yells.  The  men  were 
appalled  at  this  noisy  demonstration,  which  would  call 
down  upon  our  heads  the  vengeance  of  the  Wahlia  for 
evading  the  tribute,  to  which  they  thought  themselves 
entitled.  In  half  an  hour  we  should  have  hundreds  of 
howling  savages  about  us  in  the  jungle,  and  probably  a 
general  massacre  would  ensue.  The  woman  screamed 
fearfully  again  and  again,  for  no  cause  whatever.  Some 
of  the  men,  with  the  instinct  of  self-preservation,  at  once 
dropped  their  bales  and  loads  and  vanished  into  the  jungle. 
The  guide  came  rushing  back  to  me,  imploring  me  to  stop 
her  noise.  The  woman's  husband,  livid  with  rage  and 
fear,  drew  his  sword  and  asked  permission  to  cut  her  head 
off  at  once.  Had  I  given  the  least  signal,  the  woman  had 
paid  with  her  life  for  her  folly.  I  attempted  to  hush  her 
cries  by  putting  my  hand  over  her  mouth,  but  she  violently 
wrestled  with  me,  and  continued  her  cries  worse  than  ever. 
There  remained  nothing  else  for  me  to  do,  but  to  try  the 
virtue  of  my  whip  over  her  shoulders.  I  asked  her  to 
desist  after  the  first  blow.  *No!'  She  continued  her 
insane  cries  with  increased  force  and  volume.  Again  my 
whip  descended  on  her  shoulders.  '  No,  no,  no.'  Another 
blow.  '  Will  you  hush  ?'  '  No,  no,  no,'  louder  and  louder 
she  cried,  and  faster  and  faster  I  showered  the  blows  for 
the  taming  of  this  shrew.  However,  seeing  I  was  as 
determined  to  flog  as  she  was  to  cry,  she  desisted  before 
the  tenth  blow  and  became  silent.  A  cloth  was  folded 
over  her  mouth,  and  her  arms  were  tied  behind  her ;  and 
in  a  few  moments,  the  runaways  having  returned  to  their 
duty,  the  expedition  moved  forward  again  with  redoubled 
pace.'* 

That  night  they  encamped  at  Lake  Musunya,  which 


AN   UNEXPECTED    DANGER.  >    141 

swarmed  with  hippopotami.  No  tent  nor  hut  was  raised, 
nor  fire  kindled,  and  Stanley  lay  down  with  his  rifle  slung 
over  his  shoulders,  ready  to  act  on  a  moment's  notice.  Be- 
fore daylight  they  were  off  again,  and  at  early  dawn 
emerged  from  the  jungle  and  stretched  rapidly  across  a 
naked  plain.  Keaching  the  Kugufa  River,  they  halted  in 
a  deep  shade,  when  suddenly  Stanley  heard  a  sound  like 
distant  thunder.  Asking  one  of  his  men  if  it  were  thunder, 
the  latter  replied  no,  that  it  was  the  noise  made  by  the 
waves  of  Tanganika  breaking  into  the  caverns  of  a  moun- 
tain on  its  shore.  Was  he,  indeed,  so  near  this  great  in- 
land sea,  of  which  Ujiji  was  the  chief  harbor? 

Pressing  on  three  hours  longer  they  encamped  in  the 
forest.  Two  hours  before  daylight  they  again  set  out,  the 
guide  promising  that  by  next  morning  they  should  be 
clear  of  the  hostile  district.  On  this  Stanley  exclaims, 
"  Patience,  my  soul !  A  few  hours  more  and  then  the  end 
of  all  this  will  be  known.  I  shall  be  face  to  face  with  that 
white  man  with  the  white  beard  on  his  face,  whoever  he 
may  be."  Before  daylight  they  started  again,  and  emerg- 
ing from  the  forest  on  to  the  high  road,  the  guides,  think- 
ing they  had  passed  the  last  village  of  the  hostile  tribe, 
set  up  a  shout,  but  soon,  to  their  horror,  came  plump  upon 
its  outskirts.  Fate  seemed  about  to  desert  him  at  the  last 
moment,  for  if  the  village  was  roused  he  was  a  doomed 
man.  Keeping  concealed  amid  the  trees,  Stanley  ordered 
the  goats  to  be  killed,  lest  their  bleating  should  lead  to 
their  discovery,  the  chickens  to  be  killed  also,  and  then 
plunged  into  the  jungle,  Stanley  being  the  last  man  to  fol- 
low. It  was  a  narrow  escape.  After  an  half-hour's  march, 
finding  they  were  not  pursued,  they  again  took  to  the  road. 
One  more  night  in  the  encampment  and  then  the  end 
would  come.  Next  morning  they  push  on  with  redoubled 
speed,  and,  in  two  hours,  from  the  top  of  a  mountain  he 


142  NEAEING   THE  GOAL. 

beholds  with  bounding  heart  the  Lake  Tanganika ;  a  vast 
expanse  of  burnished  silver  with  the  dark  mountains 
around  it  and  the  blue  sky  above .  it.  "  Hurrah,"  shouts 
Stanley,  and  the  natives  take  up  the  shout,  till  the  hills  and 
forest  ring  with  their  exultant  cries.  The  long  struggle 
was  nearly  over ;  the  goal  toward  which  he  had  been  so 
long  straining  almost  won. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE  excitement  that  Stanley  felt  at  this  supreme  mo- 
ment of  his  life  can  never  be  described  or  even 
imagined.  When  he  started  from  Zanzibar,  he  knew  'he 
had  thrown  the  dice  which  was  to  fix  his  fate.  Successful, 
and  his  fame  was  secure,  while  failure  meant  death,  and  all 
the  chances  against  him.  How  much  he  had  taken  upon 
himself  no  one  but  he  knew ;  into  what  gloomy  gulfs  he 
had  looked  before  he  started,  he  alone  was  conscious.  Of 
the  risks  he  ran,  of  the  narrow  escapes  he  had  made,  of 
the  toils  and  sufferings  he  had  endured,  he  alone  could 
estimate  them.  With  the  accumulation  of  difficulties — 
with  the  increasing  darkness  of  his  prospects,  the  one  great 
object  of  his  mission  had  increased  in  importance,  till  great 
as  it  was,  became  unnaturally  magnified  so  that,  at  last,  it 
filled  all  his  vision,  and  became  the  one,  the  great,  the 
only  object  in  life  worth  pursuing.  For  it  he  had  risked 
so  much,  toiled  so  long  and  suffered  so  terribly,  that  the 
whole  world,  with  all  its  interests,  was  secondary  to  it. 
Hope  had  given  way  to  disappointment  and  disappointment 
yielded  to  despair  so  often,  that  his  strong  nature  had  got 
keyed  up  to  a  dangerous  pitch.  But  now  the  reward  was 
near;  and  Balboa,  when  alone  he  ascended  the  solitary 
summit  that  was  to  give  him  a  sight  of  the  new,  the  hith- 

143 


144  VIEW   OF   THE   TANGANIKA. 

erto  unknown,  the  great  Pacific  Ocean,  was  not  more 
intensely  excited  than  Stanley  was  when  he  labored  up  the 
steep  mountain  that  should  give  him  a  view  of  the  Tan- 
ganika. 

The  joy,  the  exultation  of  that  moment,  outbalanced  a 
life  of  common  happiness.  It  was  a  feeling  that  lifts  the 
soul  into  a  region  where  our  common  human  nature  never 
goes,  and  it  becomes  a  memory  that  influences  and  shapes 
the  character  forever.  Such  a  moment  of  ecstasy — of  per- 
fect satisfaction — of  exultant  triumphant  feeling  that  asks 
nothing  better — that  brings  perfect  rest  with  the  highest 
exaltation,  can  never  happen  to  a  man  but  once  in  a  life- 
time, and  not  to  one  in  ten  millions  of  men.  To  attempt 
to  give  any  description  of  this  culmination  of  all  his  efforts, 
and  longings,  and  ambition,  except  in  his  own  words,  would 
be  not  only  an  act  of  injustice  to  him,  but  to  the  reader. 

The  descent  to  Ujiji  and  the  interview  with  Living- 
stone is  full  of  dramatic  interest  and  the  description  of  it 
should  not  be  made  by  a  third  party,  for  to  attempt  to  im- 
j)rove  on  it  would  be  presumption  and  would  end  only  in 
failure,  and  we,  therefore,  give  it  in  Mr.  Stanley's  own  words, 
that  glow  with  vivid  life  from  beginning  to  end,  and  this 
shall  be  his  chapter: 

"  We  are  descending  the  western  slope  of  the  mountain, 
with  the  valley  of  the  Linche  before  us.  Something  like 
an  hour  before  noon  we  have  gained  the  thick  matite  brake, 
which  grows  on  both  banks  of  the  river ;  we  wade  through 
the  clear  stream,  arrive  on  the  other  side,  emerge  out  of  the 
brake,  and  the  gardens  of  the  Wajiji  are  around  us — a  per- 
fect marvel  of  vegetable  wealth.  Details  escape  my  hasty 
and  partial  observation.  I  am  almost  overpowered  with 
my  own  emotion.  I  notice  the  graceful  palms,  neat  plats, 
green  with  vegetable  plants,  and  small  villages,  surrounded 
with  frail  fences  of  the  matite  cane. 


FIRST   SIGHT   OF   UJIJI.  145 

"We  push  on  rapidly,  lest  the  news  of  our  coming 
might  reach  the  people  of  Bunder  Ujiji  before  we 
come  in  sight  and  are  ready  for  them.  We  halt  at  a  little 
brook,  then  ascend  the  long  slope  of  a  naked  ridge,  the 
very  last  of  the  myriads  we  have  crossed.  This  alone  pre- 
vents us  from  seeing  the  lake  in  all  its  vastness.  We 
arrive  at  the  summit,  travel  across  and  arrive  at  its  western 
rim,  and — pause,  reader — the  port  of  Ujiji  is  below  us, 
embowered  in  the  palms,  only  five  hundred  yards  from  us. 
At  this  grand  moment  we  do  not  tliink  of  the  hundreds  of 
miles  we  have  marched,  of  the  hundreds  of  hills  we  have 
ascended  and  descended,  of  the  many  forests  we  have 
traversed,  of  the  jungles  and  thickets  that  annoyed  us,  of 
the  fervid  salt  plains  that  blistered  our  feet,  of  the  hot  suns 
that  scorched  us,  nor  the  dangers  and  difficulties  now  hap- 
pily surmounted.  At  last  the  sublime  hour  has  arrived ! 
our  dreams,  our  hopes,  our  anticipations  are  about  to  be 
realized.  Our  hearts  and  our  feelings  are  with  our  eyes, 
as  we  peer  into  the  palms  and  try  to  make  out  in  which  hut 
or  house  lives  the  white  man,  with  the  gray  beard,  we 
heard  about  on  the  Malagarazi. 

"  *  Unfurl  the  flags  and  load  the  guns.' 

" '  Ay,  Wallah,  ay.  Wallah,  bana  !'  responded  the  men, 
eagerly. 

"  *  One — ^two — three — fire.' 

"  A  volley  from  nearly  fifty  guns  roars  like  a  salute  from 
a  battery  of  artillery ;  we  shall  note  its  efiect,  presently,  on 
the  peaceful-looking  village  below. 

"  *  ^N'ow,  Kirangazi,  hold  the  white  man's  flag  up  high,  and 
let  the  Zanzibar  flag  bring  up  the  rear.  And  you  men  keep 
close  together,  and  keep  firing  until  we  halt  in  the  market- 
place, or  before  the  white  man's  house.  You  have  said  to 
me  often  that  you  could  smell  the  fish  of  the  Tanganika. 
I  can  smell  the  fish  of  the  Tanganika  now.  Thel^  are  fish, 
and  beer,  and  a  long  rest  awaiting  for  you.     March  I' 


146  THE   AMERICAN   FLAG. 

"  Before  we  had  gone  one  hundred  yards  our  repeated 
volleys  had  the  desired  effect.  We  had  awakened  Ujiji  to 
the  fact  that  a  caravan  was  coming,  and  the  people  were 
witnessed  rushing  up  in  hundreds  to  meet  us.  The  mere 
sight  of  the  flags  informed  every  one  immediately  that  we 
were  a  caravan,  hut  the  American  flag,  borne  aloft  by  the 
gigantic  Asmani,  whose  face  was  one  broad  smile  on  this 
day,  rather  staggered  them  at  first.  However,  many  of  the 
people  who  now  approached  us  remembered  the  flag.  They 
had  seen  it  float  above  the  American  consulate,  and  from  the 
mast-heads  of  many  a  ship  in  the  harbor  of  Zanzibar,  and 
they  were  soon  heard  welcoming  the  beautiful  flag  with 
cries  of  *  Bindera  Kisungu !' — a  white  man's  flag !  *  Bin- 
dera  Mericani !' — the  American  flag ! 

"  Then  we  were  surrounded  by  them— by  Wajiji,  Wan- 
yamzi,  Wangwana,  Warundi,  Waguhha,  Wamanyuema  and 
Arabs,  and  were  almost  deafened  with  the  shout  of  *  Yam- 
bo,  yambo,  bona !  Yambo  bona,  Yambo  bona !'  To  all 
and  each  of  my  men  the  welcome  was  given. 

"We  were  now  about  three  hundred  yards  from  the 
village  of  Ujiji,  and  the  crowds  are  dense  about  me.  Sud- 
denly I  hear  a  voice  on  my  right  say  :  '  Good  morning, 
sir!' 

"  Startled  at  hearing  this  greeting  in  the  paidst  of  such  a 
crowd  of  black  people,  I  turn  sharply  around  in  search  of 
the  man,  and  see  him  at  my  side  with  the  blackest  of  faces, 
but  animated  and  joyous — a  man  dressed  in  a  long  white 
shirt,  with  a  turban  of  American  sheeting  around  his 
woolly  head,  and  I  ask :     *  Who  the  mischief  are  you  ?' 

" '  I  am  Susi,  the  servant  of  Dr.  Livingstone,'  said  he, 
smiling  and  showing  a  gleaming  row  of  teeth. 

"  ^  What  I  is  Dr.  Livingstone  here  ?' 

"'Yes,  sir.' 

"'In  this  village?' 


Livingstone's  servants.  147 

"'Yes,  sir.' 

"  *  Are  you  sure  ?' 

" '  Sure,  sure,  sir.     Why  I  just  left  him.' 

" '  Good-morning,  sir,'  said  another  voice. 

" '  Hallo,'  said  I,  '  is  this  another  one  ?' 

" '  Yes,  sir.' 

" '  Well,  what  is  your  name  ?' 

" '  My  name  is  Chumah,  sir.' 

" '  What  are  you,  Chumah,  the  friend  of  Wekotani  V 

"'Yes,  sir.' 

" '  And  is  the  doctor  well  ?' 

" '  Not  very  well,  sir.' 

" '  Where  has  he  been  so  long  V 

" '  In  Manyuema.' 

"'Now  you,  Susi,  run  and  tell  the  doctor  I  am 
coming.' 

" '  Yes,  sir,'  and  off  he  darted  like  a  madman. 

"  By  this  time  we  were  within  two  hundred  yards  of  the 
village,  and  the  multitude  was  getting  denser,  and  almost 
preventing  our  march.  Flags  and  streamers  were  out; 
Arabs  and  Wangwana  were  pushing  their  way  through  the 
natives  in  order  to  greet  us,  for  according  to  their  account 
we  belonged  to  them.  But  the  great  .wonder  of  all  was, 
*  How  did  you  come  from  Unyanyembe  ?' 

"  Soon  Susi  came  running  back  and  asked  me  my  name; 
he  had  told  the  doctor  that  I  was  coming,  but  the  doctor 
was  too  surprised  to  believe  him,  and  when  the  doctor 
asked  him  my  name  Susi  was  rather  staggered. 

"  But  during  Susi's  absence  the  news  had  been  conveyed 
to  the  doctor  that  it  was  surely  a  white  man  that  was 
coming,  whose  guns  were  firing  and  whose  flag  could  be 
seen ;  and  the  great  Arab  magnates  of  Ujiji — Mohammed 
bin  Sali,  Sayd  bin  Majid,  Abid  bin  Suliman,  Mohammed 
bin  Gharib  and  others — had  gathered  together  before  the 


148  "dr.  livixgstoxe,  i  presume?" 

doctor's  house,  and  the  doctor  had  come  out  on  his  veranda 
to  discuss  the  matter  and  await  my  arrival. 

"  In  the  meantime,  the  head  of  the  expedition  had  halted 
and  the  Kirangozi  were  out  of  the  ranks,  holding  the  flag 
aloft,  and  Selim  said  to  me,  *I  see  the  doctor,  sir.  Oh, 
what  an  old  man !  He  has  got  a  white  beard.'  And  I — 
what  would  I  not  have  given  for  a  bit  of  friendly  wilder- 
ness where,  unseen,  I  might  vent  my  joy  in  some  mad 
freak,  such  as  idiotically  biting  my  hand,  turning  a  somer- 
sault, or  slashing  some  trees,  in  order  to  allay  those  exciting 
feelings  that  were  well-nigh  uncontrollable.  My  heart 
beats  fast,  but  I  must  not  let  my  face  betray  my  emotions, 
lest  it  shall  detract  from  the  dignity  of  a  white  man  ap- 
pearing under  such  extraordinary  circumstances. 

"  So  I  did  that  which  I  thought  was  most  dignified,  I 
pushed  back  the  crowds,  and,  passing  from  the  rear,  walked 
down  a  living  avenue  of  people  until  I  came  in  front  of 
the  semi-circle  of  Arabs,  in  front  of  which  stood  the  white . 
man  with  the  gray  beard.  As  I  advanced  slowly  toward 
him  I  noticed  he  was  pale,  looked  wearied,  had  a  gray 
beard,  wore  a  bluish  cap  with  a  faded  gold  band  around  it, 
had  on  a  red-sleeved  waistcoat  and  a  pair  of  gray  tweed 
trousers.  I  would .  have  run  to  him,  only  I  was  a  coward 
in  such  a  mob — would  have  embraced  him,  only,  he  being 
an  Englishman,  I  did  not  know  how  he  would  receive  me ; 
so  I  did  what  cowardice  and  false  pride  suggested  was  the 
best  thing — walked  deliberately  to  him,  took  off  my  hat 
and  said,  '  Dr.  Livingstone,  I  presume  ?' 

"  *  Yes,'  said  he,  with  a  kind  smile,  lifting  his  hat  slightly. 

"  I  replace  my  cap  on  my  head,  and  he  puts  on  his  cap, 
and  we  both  grasp  hands,  and  then  I  say  aloud :  *  I  thank 
God,  doctor,  I  have  been  permitted  to  see  you.' 

"  He  answered :  '  I  feel  thankful  I  am  here  to  welcome 
you.' 


THE   MEETING.  151 

"  I  turned  to  the  Arabs,  took  off  my  hat  to  them  in  re- 
sponse to  the  saluting  chorus  of '  Yambos/  I  receive,  and 
the  doctor  introduces  them  to  me  by  name.  Then  oblivious 
of  the  crowds,  oblivious  of  the  men  who  shared  with  me 
my  dangers,  we — Livingstone  and  I — turn  our  faces  toward 
his  tembe.  He  points  to  the  veranda,  or  rather  mud  plat- 
form, under  the  broad  over-hanging  eaves ;  he  points  to  his 
own  particular  seat,  which  I  see  his  age  and  experience  in 
Africa  have  suggested,  namely,  a  straw  mat  with  a  goat 
skin  over  it,  and  another  skin  nailed  against  the  wall  to 
protect  his  back  from  contact  with  the  cold  mud.  I  protest 
against  taking  this  seat,  which  so  much  more  befits  him 
than  me,  but  the  doctor  will  not  yield :  I  must  take  it. 

"  We  are  seated — the  doctor  and  I — with  our  backs  to 
the  wall.  The  Arabs  take  seats  on  our  left.  More  than  a 
thousand  natives  are  in  our  front,  filling  the  whole  square 
densely,  indulging  their  curiosity  and  discussing  the  fact 
of  two  white  men  meeting  at  Ujiji — one  just  come  from 
Manyuema,  in  the  west,  the  other  from  Unyanyembe,  in 
the  east. 

"  Conversation  began.  What  about  ?  I  declare  I  have 
forgotten.  Oh !  we  mutually  asked  questions  of  one  another, 
such  as :  'How  did  you  come  here ?'  and  'Where  have  you 
been  all  this  long  time  ?  the  world  ha^  believed  you  to  be 
dead.'  Yes,  that  was  the  way  it  began ;  but  whatever  the 
doctor  informed  me,  and  that  which  I  communicated  to  him, 
I  cannot  exactly  report,  for  I  found  myself  gazing  at  him, 
conning  the  wonderful  man,  at  whose  side  I  now  sat  in 
Central  Africa.  Every  hair  of  his  head  and  beard,  every 
wrinkle  of  his  face,  the  wanness  of  his  features,  and  the 
slightly  wearied  look  he  wore,  were  all  imparting  intelli- 
gence to  me — the  knowledge  I  craved  for  so  much  ever 
since  I  heard  the  words,  *  Take  what  you  want,  but  find 
Livingstone.'     What  I  saw  was  deeply  interesting  intelli- 


152  Livingstone's  lettek-bag. 

gence  to  me,  and  unvarnished  truths  I  was  listening  and 
reading  at  the  same  time.  What  did  these  dumb  witnesses 
relate  to  me  ? 

"Oh,  reader,  had  you  been  at  my  side  that  day  at  Ujiji, 
how  eloquently  could  be  told  the  nature  of  this  man's 
work !  Had  you  been  there  but  to  see  and  hear !  His  lips 
gave  me  the  details ;  lips  that  never  lie.  I  cannot  repeat 
what  he  said ;  I  was  too  much  engrossed  to  take  my  note- 
book out  and  begin  to  stenograph  his  story.  He  had  so 
much  to  say  that  he  began  at  the  end,  seemingly  oblivious 
of  the  fact  that  five  or  six  years  had  to  be  accounted  for. 
But  his  account  was  oozing  out ;  it  was  growing  fast  into 
grand  proportions — into  a  most  marvelous  history  of  deeds. 

"  The  Arabs  rose  up  with  a  delicacy  I  approved,  as  if 
they  intuitively  knew  that  we  ought  to  be  left  to  ourselves. 
I  sent  Bombay  with  them  to  give  them  the  news  they  also 
wanted  so  much  to  know  about  the  affairs  at  Unyanyembe. 
Sayd  bin  Majid  was  the  father  of  the  gallant  young  man 
whom  I  saw  at  Masange,  and  who  fought  with  me  at  Zim- 
bizo,  and  who  sooq.  afterwards  was  killed  by  Mirambo's 
Ruga — Buga  in  the  forest  of  Wilyankuru ;  and  knowing 
I  had  been  there,  he  earnestly  desired  to  hear  the  tale  of 
the  fight ;  but  they  had  all  friends  at  Unyanyembe,  and  it 
was  but  natural  that  they  should  be  anxious  to  hear  of 
what  concerned  them. 

"After  giving  orders  to  Bombay  and  Asmani  for  the 
provisioning  of  the  men  of  the  expedition,  I  called  '  Kaif- 
Halek,'  or  'how  do  ye  do,'  and  introduced  him  to  Dr.  Liv- 
ingstone as  one  of  the  soldiers  in  charge  of  certain  goods 
left  at  Unyanyembe,  whom  I  had  compelled  to  accompany 
me  to  Ujiji  that  he  might  deliver,  in  person,  to  his  master 
the  letter-bag  he  had  been  intrusted  with  by  Dr..  Kirk. 

"This  was  the  famous  letter-bag  marked  'Nov.  1st, 
1870,'  which  was  now  delivered  into  the  doctor's  hands, 


A   BUDGET   OF   NEWS.  153 

three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days  after  it  left  Zanzibar! 
How  long,  I  wonder,  had  it  remained  at  Unyanyembe,  had 
I  not  been  dispatched  into  Central  Africa  in  search  of  the 
great  traveler? 

"  The  doctor  kept  the  letter-bag  on  his  knee,  then,  pres- 
ently, opened  it,  looked  at  the  letters  contained  there  and 
read  one  or  two  of  his  children's  letters,  his  face,  in  the 
meanwhile,  lighting  up. 

"He  asked  me  to  tell  him  the  news.  'No,  doctor,'  said 
I,  '  read  your  letters  first,  which,  I  am  sure,  you  must  be 
impatient  to  read.' 

"'Ah/  said  he,  'I  have  waited  years  for  letters,  and  I 
have  been  taught  patience.  I  can  surely  afford  to  wait  a 
few  hours  longer.  No ;  tell  me  the  general  news ;  how  is 
the  world  getting  along  ?' 

"'You  probably  know  much  already.  Do  you  know 
that  the  Suez  Canal  is  a  fact — is  opened  and  a  regular  trade 
carried  on  between  Europe  and  India  through  it  ?' 

" '  I  did  not  hear  about  the  opening  of  it.  Well,  that  is 
grand  news !     What  else  ?' 

"  Shortly  I  found  myself  enacting  the  part  of  an  annual 
periodical  to  him.  There  was  no  need  of  exaggeration — 
of  any  penny-a-line  news,  or  of  any  sensationalism.  The 
world  had  witnessed  and  experienced  much  the  last  few 
years.  The  Pacific  Kailroad  had  been  completed  ;  Grant 
had  been  elected  President  of  the  United  States ;  Egypt 
had  been  flooded  with  savans;  the  Cretan  rebellion  had 
terminated;  a  Spanish  revolution  had  driven  Isabella 
from  the  throne  of  Spain,  and  a  regent  had  been  ap- 
pointed; General  Prim  was  assassinated;  a  Castelar  had 
electrified  Europe  with  his  advanced  ideas  upon  the  liberty 
of  worship ;  Prussia  had  humbled  Denmark  and  annexed 
Schleswig-Holsteiu,  and  her  armies  were  now  around 
Paris ;  the  '  Man  of  Destiny'  was  a  prisoner  at  Wilhelms- 


154  BEINGING   NEW   LIFE. 

liohe;  the  queen  of  fashion  and  the  empress  of  the 
French  was  a  fugitive ;  and  the  child  born  in  the  purple 
had  lost  forever  the  imperial  crown  intended  for  its  head ; 
the  Napoleon  dynasty  was  extinguished  by  the  Prussians, 
Bismarck  and  Von  Moltke,  and  France,  the  proud  empire, 
was  humbled  to  the  dust. 

"  What  could  a  man  have  exaggerated  of  these  facts  ? 
What  a  budget  of  news  it  was  to  one  who  had  emerged 
from  tlie  depths  of  the  primeval  forests  of  Manyuema! 
The  reflection  of  the  dazzling  light  of  civilization  was  cast 
on  him  while  Livingstone  was  thus  listening  in  wonder  to 
one  of  the  most  exciting  j)assages  of  history  ever  repeated. 
How  the  puny  deeds  of  barbarism  paled  before  these! 
Who  could  tell  under  what  new  phases  of  uneasy  life 
Europe  was  laboring  even  then,  while  we  two  of  her  lonely 
children  rehearsed  the  tale  of  her  late  woes  and  glories  ? 
More  worthily,  perhaps,  had  the  tongue  of  a  lyric  De- 
modocus  recounted  them ;  but  in  the  absence  of  the  poet, 
the  newspaper  correspondent  performed  his  part  as  well 
and  truthfully  as  he  could. 

"  Not  long  after  the  Arabs  had  departed,  a  dishful  of  hot 
hashed-meat  cakes  was  sent  to  us  by  Sayd  bin  Majid,  and 
a  curried  chicken  was  received  from  Mohammed  bin  Sali, 
and  Moeni  Kheri  sent  a  dishful  of  stewed  goat  meat  and 
rice ;  and  thus  presents  of  food  came  in  succession,  and  as 
fast  as  they  were  brought  we  set  to.  I  had  a  healthy, 
stubborn  digestion,  the  exercise  I  had  taken  had  put  it  in 
prime  order,  but  Livingstone — he  had  been  complaining 
that  he  had  no  appetite,  that  his  stomach  refused  every- 
thing but  a  cup  of  tea  now  and  then — ^lie  ate  also — ate  like 
a  vigorous,  hungry  man ;  and  as  he  vied  with  me  in 
demolishing  the  pancakes,  he  kept  repeating,  *  You  have 
brought  me  new  life.' 

"  *  Oh,  by  George,'  I  said,  '  I  have  forgotten  something. 


DR.  DAVID  LIVINGSTONE. 


THE  COOK  S   EXCITEMENT.  157 

Hasten,  Selim,  and  bring  that  bottle ;  you  know  which ; 
and  bring  me  the  silver  goblets.  I  brought  this  bottle  on 
purpose  for  this  event,  which  I  hoped  would  come  to  pass, 
though  often  it  seemed  useless  to  expect  it.' 

"  Selim  knew  where  the  bottle  was,  and  he  soon  returned 
with  it — a  bottle  of  Sillery  champagne ;  and,  handing  the 
doctor  a  silver  goblet  brimful  of  the  exhilarating  wine, 
and  pouring  a  small  quantity  into  my  own,  I  said :  *  Dr. 
Livingstone,  to  your  very  good  health,  sir.' 

"  *  And  to  yours,'  he  responded. 

"And  the  champagne  I  had  treasured  for  this  happy 
meeting  was  drank  with  hearty  good  wishes  to  each  other. 

"  But  we  kept  on  talking  and  talking,  and  prepared  food 
was  brought  to  us  all  that  afternoon,  and  we  kept  on  eating 
every  time  it  was  brought  until  I  had  eaten  even  to  reple- 
tion, and  the  doctor  was  obliged  to  confess  that  he  had 
eaten  enough.  Still,  Halimah,  the  female  cook  of  the  doc- 
tor's establishment,  was  in  a  state  of  the  greatest  excite- 
ment. She  had  been  protruding  her  head  out  of  the  cook- 
house, to  make  sure  that  there  were  really  two  white  men 
sitting  down  in  the  veranda,  when  there  used  to  be  only 
one,  who  would  not,  because  he  could  not,  eat  anything ; 
and  she  had  been  considerably  exercised  in  her  mind  over 
this  fact.  She  was  afraid  the  doctor  did  not  properly 
appreciate  her  culinary  abilities ;  but  now  she  was  amazed 
at  the  extraordinary  quantity  of  food  eaten,  and  she  was  in 
a  state  of  delightful  excitement.  "We  could  hear  her  tongue 
rolling  off  a  tremendous  volume  of  clatter  to  the  wonder- 
ing crowds  who  halted  before  the  kitchen  to  hear  the  cur- 
rent of  news  with  which  she  edified  them.  Poor,  faithful 
soul.  "While  we  listen  to  the  noise  of  her  furious  gossip, 
the  doctor  related  her  faithful  services  and  the  terrible 
anxiety  she  evinced  when  the  guns  first  announced  the 
arrival  of  another  white  man  in  Ujiji ;  how  she  had  been 


158         Livingstone's  deplorable  condition. 

flying  about  in  a  state  of  the  utmost  excitement,  from  the 
kitchen  into  his  presence,  and  out  again  into  the  square, 
asking  all  sorts  of  questions ;  how  she  was  in  despair  at  the 
scantiness  of  the  general  larder  and  treasury  of  the  strange 
household;  how  she  was  anxious  to  make  up  for  their 
poverty  by  a  grand  appearance — to  make  up  a  sort  of  Bar- 
mecide feast  to  welcome  the  white  man. 

"  *  Why,'  said  she,  '  is  he  not  one  of  us  ?  Does  he  not 
bring  plenty  of  cloth  and  beads  ?  Talk  about  the  Arabs ! 
Who  are  they,  that  they  should  be  compared  to  white  men  ? 
Arabs,  indeed !' 

"The  doctor  and  I  conversed  upon  many  things, 
especially  upon  his  own  immediate  troubles,  and  his  dis- 
appointment upon  his  arrival  at  Ujiji  when  told  that  all 
his  goods  had  been  sold,  and  he  was  reduced  to  poverty. 
He  had  but  twenty  cloths  or  so  left  of  the  stock  he  had 
deposited  with  the  man  called  sheriff,  the  half-caste, 
drunken  tailor,  who  was  sent  by  the  British  consul  in 
charge  of  the  goods.  Besides  which  he  had  been  suffering 
from  an  attack  of  the  dysentery,  and  his  condition  was 
most  deplorable.  He  was  but  little  improved  on  this  day, 
though  he  had  eaten  well,  and  already  began  to  feel  stronger 
and  better. 

"  This  day,  like  all  others,  though  big  with  happiness  to 
me,  at  last,  was  fading  away.  We,  sitting  with  our  faces 
looking  to  the  east,  as  Livingstone  had  been  sitting  for 
days  j^receding  my  arrival,  noted  the  dark  shadow  which 
crept  up  above  the  grove  of  palms  beyond  the  village,  and 
above  the  rampart  of  mountains  wdiich  w^e  had  crossed  that 
day,  now  looming  through  the  fast-approaching  darkness ; 
and  we  listened,  with  our  hearts  full  of  gratitude  to  the 
great  Giver  of  Good  and  Dispenser  of  all  Haj^piness  to  the 
sonorous  thunder  of  the  surf  of  the  Tanganika,  and  to  the 
chorus  which  the  night  insects  sang.    Hours  passed,  and  we 


THE   DREAM   REALIZED.  159 

were  still  sitting  there  with  our  minds  busy  upon  the  day's 
remarkable  events,  when  I  remembered  that  the  traveler 
had  not  yet  read  his  letters. 

" '  Doctor,'  I  said,  *  you  had  better  read  your  letters.  I 
will  not  keep  you  up  any  longer.' 

" '  Yes,'  he  answered,  '  it  is  getting  late,  and  I  will  go 
and  read  my  friends'  letters.  Good-night,  and  God  bless 
you.' 

" '  Good-night,  my  dear  doctor,  and  let  me  hope  your 
news  will  be  such  as  you  desire.' " 

Since  the  creation  of  the  world  there  never  has  occurred 
such  another  interview.  The  feelings  of  Stanley  that  night, 
in  the  heart  of  Africa,  can  only  be  imagined.  The  strain 
had  ended,  the  doubt  and  suspense  was  over — he  had  found 
Livingstone — he  had  succeeded — his  most  extravagant 
dreams  had  been  realized — his  wildest  ambition  satisfied, 
and  from  that  hour  the  adventurer,  the  newspaper  cor- 
respondent, took  his  place  among  the  great  explorers  of 
the  world.  But  it  was  no  stroke  of  luck — it  was  the  fitting 
reward  of  great  risks  and  great  endeavor. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BEST  AT  XJJIJI— STANLEY'S  LOVE  FOB  LIVINGSTONE  THE  BEST  EULOGIUM  ON  HIS  OWN  CHAEACTER 
— ^THE  NIGHT— THE  MOENING  INTEEVIEW— LIFE  WITH  LIVINGSTONE— SUEVEY  THE  TANGANIKA 
TOGETHEE— LIVINGSTONE  ACCOMPANIES  STANLEY  TO  UNYANYEJIBE— THE  LONG  MAECH— LIFE 
IN  THE  PLACE— PEEPABATIONS  FOE  PARTING — THE  LAST  BEEAKFAST — THE  LAST  SAD  FARE- 
WELL— STANLEY'S  HOMEWAED  MAECH — ITS  PEEILS — INt'NDATIONS — MAKATA  SWAMP— TEREI- 
BLE  MAECHING — STANLEY  SENDS  OFF  FOR  BELIEF— ITS  AEEIVAL— BAGOMAYO  REACHED  AT 
LAST— NOISY  ENTEANCE— STANLEY'S  JOY— IT  IS  SUDDENLY  DASHED — CBUEL  CONDUCT  OF  THE 
PEESS— STAET  FOE  HOME. 

THE  rest  and  repose  that  Stanley  now  enjoyed  cannot 
be  described  nor  even  imagined.  His  long  strug- 
gle— his  doubts,  and  fears,  and  painful  anxiety  were  over, 
and  the  end  toward  which  he  had  strained  with  such  un- 
flagging resolution,  under  the  most  disheartening  circum- 
stances, and  which  at  times  seemed  to  recede  the  mbre  he 
pressed  forward,  was  at  last  reached.  The  sweet  repose,  the 
calm  satisfaction  and  enjoyment  which  always  come  with 
the  consciousness  of  complete  success,  now  filled  his  heart, 
and  he  felt  as  no  one  can  feel  who  has  not  at  last  won  a  long 
and  doubtful  battle.  It  was  complete  rest — entire  fruition 
of  his  hopes ;  and,  as  he  sat  down  there,  in  the  heart  of 
Africa,  beside  Livingstone,  he  was,  doubtless,  for  at  least 
the  first  few  days,  the  happiest  man  on  the  globe,  and  well 
deserved  to  be.  The  goal  was  won,  the  prize  secured,  and 
for  the  time  being  his  utmost  desires  satisfied — and  why 
should  he  not  be  happy  ? 

His  intercourse  with  Livingstone  for  the  next  four 
months  will  be  marked  by  him  with  a  white  stone,  as  the 
brightest  portion  of  his  eventful  life.  Independent  of  all 
he  had  undergone  to  find  this  remarkable  man,  the  man 

160 


STANLEYS   LOVE   FOR   LIVINGSTONE.  IGl 

himself  enlisted  all  his  sympathies  and  awakened  his  most 
extravagant  admiration  and  purest  love,  and  a  more  charm- 
ing picture  can  hardly  be  conceived  than  these  two  men, 
walking  at  sunset  along  the  beach  of  the  wild  and  lonely 
lake  of  Tanganika,  talking  over  the  strange  scenes  and 
objects  of  this  strange,  new  world,  or  recalling  those  of 
home  and  friends  far  away,  amid  all  the  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  civilization  The  man  whom  Stanley  had  at 
last  found  was  almost  as  new  and  startling  a  revelation  to 
him  as  the  country  in  which  he  now  found  himself.  Sim- 
2)le,  earnest,  unselfish — nay,  unambitious,  so  far  as  per- 
sonal fame  was  concerned,  borne  up  in  all  his  sufferings 
and  trials  by  one  great  and  noble  purpose,  and  conquering 
even  savage  hate  by  the  power  of  goodness  alone,  he  was 
an  object  of  the  j^rofoundest  interest.  And  no  greater 
eulogium  on  the  innate  goodness  and  nobleness  of  Stan- 
ley's nature  could  be  given  than  he  unconsciously  bestowed 
on  liimself  by  the  deep  attachment,  nay,  almost  devotion, 
he  expresses  for  this  lonely,  quiet,  good  man.  He  fastens 
to  him  at  once,  and  casting  off  old  prejudices  and  rejecting 
all  former  criticisms  of  his  character,  he  impulsively  be- 
comes his  champion,  and  crowns  him  the  prince  of  men. 

The  talk  between  them,  at  this  first  meeting  in  this  far-off 
land,  was  long  and  pleasant,  and  when  the  good-night  was 
given,  it  was  with  strange  feelings  Stanley  turned  into  his 
— not  tent — but  regular  bed.  After  all  the  toils  and 
almost  unnatural  excitement  of  the  day,  he  soon  sank  into 
profound  slumber.  The  next  morning  he  awoke  with  a 
sudden  start,  and  looked  about  him  for  a  moment  in  a 
dazed  way.  He  was  not  on  the  ground,  but  in  a  bed — a 
roof,  not  a  tent,  was  above  him,  while  not  a  sound  broke 
the  stillness  save  the  steady,  monotonous  roar  of  the  surf 
beating  on  the  shore.  As  he  lay  and  listened,  strange 
thouo-hts  and  varied  emotions  chased  each  other  in  rapid 


162  LIVINGSTONE   ASTONISHED. 

succession  tlirougli  liis  heart.  At  length  he  arose  and 
dressed  himself,  intending,  before  breakfast,  to  take  a  stroll 
along  the  shore  of  the  lake.  But  the  doctor  was  up  before 
him,  and  met  him  with  a  cordial  "  Good-morning,"  and 
the  hope  that  he  had  rested  well. 

Livingstone  had  sat  up  late  reading  the  news  that  Stan- 
ley had  brought  him  from  the  outside  world,  from  which 
he  had  heard  nothing  for  years. 

"  Sit  down,"  said  the  venerable  man,  "  you  have  brought 
me  good  and  bad  news,"  and  then  repeated,  first  of  all,  the 
tidings  he  had  received  from  his  children. 

In  the  excitement  of  the  day  before,  the  doctor  had  for- 
gotten to  inquire  of  Stanley  the  object  of  his  coming,  or 
where  he  was  going,  and  the  latter  now  said :  "  Doctor, 
you  are  ]3robably  wondering  why  I  came  here." 

"  It  is  true,"  was  the  reply,  "  I  have  been  wondering." 
That  wonder  was  increased  when  Stanley  said :  "  I  came 
after  you,  nothing  else." 

"  After  me !"  exclaimed  the  now  utterly  bewildered  man. 
"  Yes,"  said  Stanley,  "  after  you.     I  suppose  you  have 
heard  of  the  New  York  Herald  T 
"  Yes,"  said  the  doctor. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Bennett,  son  of  the  proprietor,  sent  me,  at 
his  own  expense,  to  find  you." 

Poor  Livingstone  could  hardly  comprehend  the  fact  that 
an  American,  and  a  stranger,  should  expend  $25,000  to 
find  him,  a  solitary  Englishman. 

Stanley  lived  now  some  four  months  in  the  closest  inti- 
macy with  Livingstone.  Bemoved  from  all  the  formalities 
of  civilized  life — the  only  two  in  that  far-off  land  who 
could  speak  the  English  language,  and  who  were  of  the 
same  lineage  and  faith — their  relations  of  necessity  became 
very  intimate.  All  restraint  was  thrown  off,  and  this  noble 
man  poured  into  the  astonished  ears  of  Stanley  all  he  had 


SURVEYING  TANGANIKA  LAKE.  165 

thought,  prayed  for,  endured  and  suffered  for  the  last  long 
five  years.  It  was  a  new  revelation  to  him — opened  up  a 
new  world — gave  him  a  new  and  loftier  conception  than 
ever  before  of  what  human  nature  is  capable  of  attaining 
to,  and  he  says :  "  I  had  gone  over  battle-fields,  witnessed 
revolutions,  civil  wars,  rebellions,  emeutes  and  massacres ; 
stood  close  to  the  condemned  murderer,  to  record  his  last 
struggles  and  last  sighs ;  but  never  had  I  been  called  to 
record  anything  that  moved  me  so  much  as  this  man's 
woes  and  sufferings,  his  privations  and  disappointments, 
which  were  now  poured  into  my  ear.  Verily  did  I  begin 
to  believe  that  *  the  gods  above  us  do  with  just  eyes  survey 
the  affairs  of  men.'  I  began  to  recognize  the  hand  of  an 
overruling  Providence." 

After  resting  for  a  week,  during  which  time  Stanley  be- 
came thoroughly  acquainted  with  Livingstone  and  learned 
to  respect  and  love  him  more  and  more,  the  former  asked 
the  doctor  if  he  would  not  like  to  explore  the  north  end  of 
the  Tanganika  Lake  and,  among  other  things,  settle  the 
question  whether  the  Kusizi  River  flowed  into  or  out  of  the 
lake.  The  doctor  gladly  consented,  and  they  set  off  in  a 
canoe  manned  by  sixteen  rowers.  The  weather  was  fine, 
the  scenery  charming,  and  it  seemed  like  floating  through 
a  fairy-land.  Day  after  day  they  kept  on — landing  at 
night  on  the  picturesque  shores,  undisturbed,  except  in  one 
or  two  instances,  by  the  natives.  The  luxuriant  banks 
were  lined  with  villages,  filled  with  an  indolent,  contented 
people.  With  no  wants,  except  food  to  eat,  and  the  lake 
full  of  fish,  they  had  nothing  to  stimulate  them  to  activity 
or  effort  of  any  kind. 

Islands  came  and  went,  mountains  rose  and  faded  on  the 
horizon,  and  it  was  one  long  holiday  to  our  two  explorers. 
As  the  rowers  bent  steadily  to  their  oars  and  the  canoe 
glided  softly  through  the  rippling  waters,  they  spent  the 


166  A   LONG  MAECH. 

time  in  admiring  the  beautiful  scenery  tliat  kept  changing 
like  a  kaleidoscope,  or  talking  of  home  and  friends  and  the 
hopes  and  prospects  of  the  future.  A  hippopotamus  would 
now  and  then  startle  them  by  his  loud  snort,  as  he  sud- 
denly lifted  his  head  near  the  boat  to  breathe — wild  fowl 
skittered  away  as  they  approached — a  sweet  fragrance  came 
down  from  the  hill-sides,  and  the  tropical  sky  bent  soft  and 
blue  above  them.  The  conventionalities  of  life  were  far 
away  and  all  was  calm  and  peaceful,  and  seemed  to  Stanley 
more  like  a  dream  than  a  reality.  They  were  thus  voy- 
aging along  the  coast  twenty-eight  days,  during  which  time 
they  had  traversed  over  three  hundred  miles  of  water. 

But  now  the  time  came  for  Stanley  to  turn  his  footsteps 
homeward.  He  tried  in  vain  to  prevail  on  Livingstone  to 
go  home  with  him,  but  the  latter,  though  anxious  to  see 
his  children,  resolutely  refused,  saying  that  he  must  finish 
his  work.  He,  however,  concluded  to  accompany  him  as 
far  as  Unyanyembe,  to  meet  his  stores  which  had  been  for- 
warded to  that  place  for  him  from  Zanzibar.  On  the  27th 
of  December,  they  set  out  by  a  new  route.  Nothing  oc- 
curred in  the  long  journey  of  special  interest,  except  the 
shooting  of  a  zebra  and  buffalo,  or  meeting  a  herd  of  ele- 
phants or  giraffes,  or  a  lion.  It  was  a  tedious  and  toilsome 
journey,  during  which  Stanley  suffered  from  attacks  of 
fever,  and  Livingstone  from  lacerated  feet.  They  were 
fifty-three  days  on  the  march,  but  at  last  Unyanyembe 
was  reached.  Stanley  once  more  took  possession  of  his  old 
quarters.  Here  both  found  letters  and  papers  from  home, 
brought  by  a  recent  caravan,  and  once  more  seemed  put  in 
communication  with  the  outside  world.  Being  well  housed 
and  provided  with  everything  they  needed,  they  felt  thor- 
oughly comfortable. 

The  doctor's  boxes  were  first  broken  oj)en,  and  between 
the  number  of  poor  articles  they  contained  and  the  absence 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   PARTING.  167 

of  good  ones  which  had  been  abstracted  on  the  way,  proved 
something  of  a  disappointment.  Stanley  then  overhauled 
his  own  stores,  of  which  there  were  seventy-four  loads,  the 
most  valuable  of  which  he  intended  to  turn  over  to  Living- 
stone. These,  also,  had  been  tampered  with ;  still  many 
luxuries  remained,  and  they  determined  to  have  their 
Christmas  diivner  over  again.  Stanley  arranged  the  bill 
of  fare,  and  it  turned  out  to  be  a  grand  affair.  But  now 
he  saw  that  he  must  begin  to  prepare  for  his  return  to  the 
coast,  and  so  left  Livingstone  to  write  up  his  journal  and 
finish  the  letters  he  was  to  send  home.  In  overhauling 
his  stores  and  making  up  the  packages  he  should  need  on 
his  return  route,  he  was  able  to  select  out  and  turn  over  to 
the  doctor  two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-eight 
yards  of  cloth,  nine  hundred  and  ninety-two  pounds  of 
assorted  beads,  three  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  brass 
wire,  besides  bed,  canvas  boat,  carpenters'  tools,  rifles, 
revolvers,  ammunition,  cooking  utensils  and  various  other 
articles  of  use — making  in  all  about  forty  loads ;  which, 
with  his  own  stores,  made  Livingstone  quite  a  rich  man 
for  Central  Africa — in  fact,  he  had  four  years'  supplies. 

At  length  the  letters  were  all  written,  the  loads  strapped, 
and  the  next  day  fixed  for  Stanley  to  turn  his  face  home- 
ward and  Livingstone  his  to  the  heart  of  Africa.  At  night 
the  natives  gave  a  great  dance  as  a  farewell  compliment, 
and  a  wild,  weird  dance  it  was.  Bombay  wore  a  water- 
bucket  on  his  head,  while  each  carried  or  wore  something 
grotesque  or  dangerous.  The  first  was  a  war  dance,  and 
when  it  ended,  a  second  and  different  one  was  started, 
accompanied  by  a  chorus  or  song  chanted  in  a  slow, 
mournful  tone,  of  which  the  burden  was  "  Oh-oh-oh,  the 
white  man  is  going  home." 

That  night  as  Stanley  lay  and  pondered  on  the  morrow, 
when  he  should  see  the  "good  man"  for  the  last  time,  he 


168  THE   LAST    FAREWELL. 

was  filled  with  the  keenest  sorrow.  He  had  grown  to  love 
him  like  a  son ;  and  to  see  him  turn  back  alone  to  the 
savage  life  he  must  encounter  in  his  great  work,  seemed 
like  giving  him  over  to  death. 

It  was  a  sad  breakfast  the  two  sat  down  to  next  morning. 
But  it  was  over  at  last  and  the  parting  hour  came. 

"Doctor,"  said  Stanley,  "  I  will  leave  two  men  with  you 
for  a  couple  of  days,  lest  you  may  have  forgotten  some- 
thing, and  will  wait  for  them  at  Tura ;  and  now  we  must 
part — there  is  no  help  for  it — good-bye." 

"Oh,"  replied  Livingstone,  "I  am  coming  with  you  a 
little  way ;  I  must  see  you  off*  on  the  road ;"  and  the  two 
walked  on  side  by  side,  their  hearts  burdened  with  grief. 

At  last  Stanley  said :  "  Now,  my  dear  doctor,  the  best 
friends  must  part,  you  have  come  far  enough,  let  me  beg 
of  you  to  turn  back." 

Livingstone  stopped  and,  seizing  Stanley's  hand,  said : 
"I  am  grateful  to  "you  for  what  you  have  done  for  me. 
God  guide  you  safe  home  and  bless  you,  my  friend." 

"And  may  God  bring  you  safe  back  to  us  all,  my 
friend,"  replied  Stanley,  with  a  voice  choked  with  emotion. 
"FarewelV 

They  wrung  each  other's  hands  in  silence  for  a  minute, 
and  then  Stanley  turned  away  to  hide  his  tears,  murmur- 
ing :  "  Good-bye,  doctor ;  dear  friend,  good-bye." 

He  would  not  have  been  the  man  he  is,  not  to  have  been 
overcome  at  this  parting ;  alas,  to  be,  as  it  j)roved,  an  eter- 
nal parting,  so  far  as  meeting  again  in  this  life.  But  this 
was  not  all — the  doctor's  faithful  servants  would  not  be 
forgotten,  and,  rushing  forward,  seized  Stanley's  hands  and 
kissed  them  for  their  good  master's  sake.  The  stern  and 
almost  tyrannical  man,  that  neither  danger  nor  suffering 
could  move,  completely  broke  down  under  this  last  demon- 
stration, and  could  recover  himself  only  by  giving  the 


HOMEWARD    MAECH.  IQCj 

sharp  order,  Maech  !  and  he  almost  drove  his  men  before 
him,  and  soon  a  turn  in  the  path  shut  out  Livingstone's 
form  forever.  Yes,  forever,  so  far  as  the  hving,  speaking, 
man  is  concerned,  but  shut  out  never  from  Stanley's  life. 
That  one  man  fixed  his  destiny  for  this  world,  and  who 
knows  but  for  the  eternal  ages.  No  wonder  he  said,  long 
after,  "My  eyes  grow  dim  at  the  remembrance  of  that 
parting.  For  four  months  and  four  days,"  he  says,  "I 
lived  w^ith  him  in  the  same  house,  or  in  the  same  boat,  or  in 
the  same  tent,  and  I  never  found  a  fault  in  him.  I  am  a 
man  of  a  quick  temper,  and  often  without  sufficient  cause, 
I  dare  say,  have  broken  ties  of  friendship ;  but  with  Liv- 
ingstone I  never  had  cause  of  resentment,  but  each  day's 
life  with  him  added  to  my  admiration  of  him."  Thas 
closed  the  first  volume  of  the  book  of  Stanley's  life. 

The  caravan  marched  wearily  back,  meeting  with 
nothing  eventful  till  it  entered  the  Ugogo  territory,  where, 
owing  to  a  misunderstanding  on  the  part  of  the  natives, 
who  got  it  into  their  heads  that  Stanley  meant  to  pass  them 
without  paying  the  accustomed  tribute,  a  fight  seemed  in- 
evitable. Had  it  occurred,  it  is  doubtful  whether  he  or 
Livingstone's  papers  would  ever  have  been  heard  of  again. 
But  Stanley  had  seemed  from  his  infancy  a  child  of  destiny, 
and  escaped  here,  as  everywhere,  by  the  skin  of  his  teetli. 
It  was  a  constant  succession  of  toilsome,  painful  marches, 
even  when  the  natives  were  friendly,  while  there  was  often 
a  scarcity  of  j^rovisions.  To  secure  these  he,  at  last,  when 
on  the  borders  of  the  wilderness  of  Marenga  Mkali,  dis- 
patched three  men  to  Zanzibar,  with  a  request  to  the  consul 
there  to  send  them  back  with  provisions-  These  messengers 
w^ere  told  not  to  halt  for  anything — rain,  rivers  or  inunda- 
tions— but  push  right  on.  "  Then,"  says  Stanley,  "  with  a 
loud,  vigorous  hurrah,  we  plunged  into  the  depths  of  the 
wilderness  which,  with  its  eternal  silence  and  solitude,  was 


170  THE   DEEADED    MAKATA   SWAMP. 

far  preferable  to  the  jarring,  inharmonious  discord  of  the 
villages  of  the  Wagogo.  For  nine  hours  we  held  on  our 
way,  starting  with  noisy  shouts  the  fierce  rhinoceros,  the 
timid  quagga  and  the  herds  of  antelopes,  which  crowd  the 
jungles  of  this  broad  Salina.  On  the  7th,  amid  a  pelting 
rain,  we  entered  Mpwapwa,  where  my  Scotch  assistant, 
Parquhar,  had  died." 

In  twenty-nine  days  they  had  now  marched  three  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  miles.  Twelve  miles  a  day,  including  stop- 
pages and  delays,  was,  in  such  a  country,  rapid  marching — 
nay,  almost  unparalleled ;  but  Stanley  had  turned  his  face 
homeward  and  could  stand  no  African  dilly-dallying  on 
the  way.  We  cannot  go  into  the  details  of  this  homeward 
march — to-day  startled  by  a  thousand  warriors,  streaming 
along  on  the  war-path — to-morrow  on  the  brink  of  a  col- 
lision with  the  natives,  the  end  of  which  no  one  could 
foresee — ^the  caravan  pressed  on  until  they  came  to  the 
neighborhood  of  the  terrible  Makata  swamps,  that  Stanley 
had  occasion  so  well  to  remember.  Heavy  rains  had  set 
in,  swelling  all  the  streams  and  inundating  the  plains,  so 
that  the  marching  was  floundering  through  interminable 
stretches  of  water.  Now  swimming  turbulent  rivers — now 
camping  in  the  midst  cf  pestiferous  swamps,  and  all  the 
time  drenched  by  the  rain,  that  fell  in  torrents — they  strug- 
gled on  until,  at  last,  they  came  to  the  dreaded  Makata 
swamp.  The  sight  that  now  met  them  was  appalling,  but 
there  was  no  retreat,  and  for  long  hours  they  toiled  slowly 
through  it — sometimes  up  to  their  necks  in  w\ater,  some- 
times swimmiiig^  and  where  it  was  shallow  sinking  in  deep 
mire.  They  thus  fought  their  way  on,  and  at  last,  weary, 
worn  and  half-starved,  came  to  the  Makata  Eiver.  But  no 
sooner  were  they  over  this,  than  a  lake,  six  miles  wide, 
stretched  before  them.  The  natives  warned  him  against 
attempting^  to  cross  it;  but  nothing  could  stop  him  now, 


TERRIBLE   MARCHING.  171 

and  they  all  j^lunged  in.  He  says :  "  We  were  soon  up  to 
our  armpits,  then  the  water  shallowed  to  the  knee,  then  we 
stepped  up  to  the  neck  and  waded  on  tiptoe,  until  we  were 
halted  on  the  edge  of  the  Little  Makata,  which  raced  along 
at  the  rate  of  eight  knots  an  hour."  Fierce  and  rapid  as  it 
was,  there  was  no  course  left  but  to  swim  it,  and  swim  it 
they  did.  For  a  whole  week  they  had  been  wading  and 
swimming  and  floundering  through  water,  till  it  seemed 
impossible  that  any  one  could  survive  such  exposure,  but, 
at  last,  came  to  dry  ground,  and  to  the  famous  walled  city 
of  the  Sultana  Limbomwenni,  which  we  described  in  his 
upward  journey.  But  the  heavy  rains  that  had  inundated 
the  whole  country,  had  so  swollen  the  river,  near  the  banks 
on  which  it  was  situate,  that  the  water  had  carried  away 
the  entire  front  wall  of  the  town,  and  fifty  houses  with  it. 
The  sultana  had  fled  and  her  stronghold  had  disappeared. 
All  along  the  route  was  seen  the  devastating  power  of  the 
flood  as  it  swept  over  the  country,  carrying  away  one  hun- 
dred villages  in  its  course.  The  fields  were  covered  with 
debris  of  sand  and  mud,  and  what  was  a  paradise  when  he 
went  in  was  now  a  desert.  With  the  subsidence  of  the 
water  the  atmosphere  became  impregnated  with  miasma, 
and  the  whole  land  seemed  filled  with  snakes,  scorpions, 
iguanas  and  ants,  while  clouds  of  mosquitoes  darkened  the 
ail-  till  life  became  almost  intolerable.  At  last,  on  May  2d, 
after  forty-seven  days  of  incessant  marching,  and  almost  con- 
tinual suffering,  they  reached  Rosako,  where,  a  few  minutes 
after,  the  three  men  he  had  sent  forward  arrived,  bringing 
with  them  a  few  boxes  of  jam,  two  of  Boston  crackers,  and 
some  bottles  of  champagne ;  and  most  welcome  they  were 
after  the  terrible  journey  through  the  Makata  Valley.  The 
last  great  obstacle  (a  ferry  of  four  miles  across  a  watery 
plain)  being  surmounted,  the  caravan  approached  Bago- 
mayo,  and  in  their  jubilant  excitement  announced  its  ar- 


172  A  CRUEL  BLOW. 

rival  by  the  firing  of  guns  and  blowing  of  liorns,  and  with 
shouting  hurrahs  till  they  were  hoarse.  The  sun  was  just 
sinking  behind  the  distant  forests,  from  which  they  had 
emerged  and  which  were  filled  with  such  terrible  associa- 
tions, when  they  entered  the  town,  and  sniffed  with  delight 
the  fresh  sea-breeze  that  came  softly  stealing  inland.  The 
putrid  air  of  the  swamps,  the  poisonous  miasma  that  en- 
veloped the  entire  country,  were  left  far  behind  with  want 
and  famine,  and  no  wonder  the  heart  was  elated  and  their 
bounding  joy  found  expression  in  exultant  shouts. 

Happy  in  having  once  more  reached  civilization. 
Happy  in  the  thought  of  his  triumphant  success;  and 
still  more  happy  in  the  joy  that  he  believed  the  good 
news  he  brought  would  give  to  others,  Stanley's  heart  was 
overflowing  with  kindness  to  all,  and  the  world  seemed 
bright  to  him.  But,  in  a  moment  it  was  all  dashed  on 
opening  the  papers  at  Zanzibar.  Scarcely  one  had  a  kind 
word  for  him ;  on  the  contrary,  he  found  nothing  but 
suspicion,  jealousy  and  detraction,  and  even  charges  of 
fabricating  the  whole  story  of  having  found  Livingstone. 
He  was  stunned  at  this  undeserved  cruel  reception  of  his 
declaration,  and  the  faith  in  the  goodness  of  human  nature, 
with  which  Livingstone  had  inspired  him,  seemed  about  to 
give  w^ay  before  this  evidence  of  its  meanness  and  little- 
ness. He  could  not  comprehend  how  his  simple,  truthful, 
unostentatious  story  could  awaken  such  unkind  feelings, 
such  baseless  slanders.  It  w^as  a  cruel  blow  to  receive, 
after  all  that  he  had  endured  and  suffered.  No  wonder 
he  wrote  bitter  words  of  the  kid-glove  geographers,  who 
criticized  him,  and  the  press  that  jeered  at  him.  But  he 
has  had  his  revenge — for  he  has  triumphed  over  them  all. 

He  now  set  to  work  to  organize  a  caravan  to  send  off 
to  Livingstone  the  things  he  had  promised,  and  then 
started  for  home.     Before  he  left,  however,  he  saw  tlie 


CAilEEONS   EXPEDITION.  173 

leaders  of  the  new  expedition  that  had  reached  Zanzibar  to 
go  in  search  of  Livingstone.  How  his  arrival  broke  it  up, 
and  its  reorganization  under  Cameron  was  effected,  will  be 
found  related  in  the  account  given  of  this  explorer  in 
another  portion  of  the  volume. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  EXPEDITTON  OF  THE  KHEDIVE  OF  EGYPT  TO  SITPRESS  THE  SLAVE  TRADE— STE  SASTtTX  VT. 
BAKER  PLACED  AT  THE  HEAD  OF  IT — EXTENT  OF  THE  SLAVE  TRADE — OUTFIT  OF  THE  EXPEDI- 
TION—PREPARATIONS ON  A  GRAND  SCALE— THE  ARMY— THE  RENDEZVOUS  AT  KHARTOrM— 
FAILURE  ON  THE  PART  OF  THE  KHEDIVE— THE  EXPEDITON  STARTS — OBSTACLES  MET— CUTTING 
CHANNELS  FOR  THE  FLEET— SLOW,  TOILSOME  WORK— A  HIPPOPOTAMUS  CHARGES  THE  VESSEL- 
MEN  BECOME  SICK— BAKER  SHOOTS  A  HIPPOPOTAMUS— A  CROCODILE  KILLED— THE  EXPEDITIO:* 
PERMANENTLY  STOPPED— DISCOURAGEMENTS. 

SIE  SAMUEL  W.  BAKER  had  been  distinguished 
for  his  explorations  in  Central  Africa;  and  his  repre- 
sentations of  the  evil  effects  produced  by  the  slave  trade  on 
a  country  rich  in  soil  and  well  peopled  induced  the  khedive 
of  Egypt  to  fit  out  an  expedition  to  put  a  stop  to  this  ne- 
farious business  and  give  protection  to  the  inhabitants, 
whom  he  claimed  to  be  his  subjects,  from  the  ravages  of 
slave-traders.  Companies  of  brigands  had  been  formed 
that  absolutely  depopulated  the  country  by  driving  away 
those  they  did  not  enslave.  One  of  these  traders  had 
twenty-five  thousand  Arabs  under  pay,  engaged  in  this 
inhuman  traffic.  And  it  was  estimated  that  fifteen  thou- 
sand of  the  khedive's  subjects  were  engaged  in  this  busi- 
ness. Each  trader  occupied  a  special  district,  and  with  his 
band  of  armed  men  kept  the  population  in  submission.  It 
was  estimated  that  fifty  thousand  negroes  were  annually 
captured  by  these  land  pirates.  The  khedive  determined  to 
put  a  stop  to  this,  and  organized  an  expedition  for  that 
purpose  and  put  Mr.  Baker  at  the  head  of  it  with  supreme 
power,  even  that  over  life  and  death.  Although  this  was 
more  than  a  year  before  Stanley  started  after  Livingstone, 
he  had  talked  with  Baker  respecting  the  route  he  intended 

174 


SIR   SAMUEL    baker's    EXPEDITION.  175 

to  take,  and  it  was  thought  likely  that  if  Livingstone  was 
alive  he  might  be  working  his  way  to  the  Nile,  and  hence 
be  met  by  him  and  relieved. 

The  force  placed  under  him  was  to  be  composed  of  one 
thousand  four  hundred  infantry  and  two  batteries  of  artil- 
lery, with  which  he  was  to  march  one  thousand  four  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  to  Gondokoro  and  annex  the  country. 

He  knew  that  there  would  be  more  or  less  fighting-,  for 
Soudan,  the  home  of  the  slave-trader,  would  be  wholly  op- 
posed to  the  attempt  to  break  up  their  business.  The  or- 
ganization of  the  expedition  was  as  follows : 

The  English  party  consisted  of  himself  and  wife.  Lieu- 
tenant Julian  Alleyn  Baker,  R.  N. ;  Mr.  Edwin  Higgin- 
botham,  civil  engineer ;  Mr.  Wood,  secretary ;  Dr.  Joseph 
Gedge,  physician ;  Mr.  MarcojDolo,  chief  storekeeper  and 
interpreter ;  Mr.  Mc William,  chief  engineer  of  steamers ; 
Mr.  Jarvis,  chief  shipwright,  together  with  three  others, 
and  two  servants.  He  laid  in  stores  sufficient  to  last  the 
European  party  four  years,  and  provided  four  galvanized 
iron  magazines,  each  eighty  feet  long  by  twenty  in  width, 
to  protect  all  material.  He  personally  selected  every 
article  that  was  necessary  for  the  expedition,  at  an  expen- 
diture of  about  $45,000.  This  included  an  admirable 
selection  of  Manchester  goods,  such  as  cotton  sheeting, 
gray  calico,  cotton,  and  also  woolen  blankets,  white,  scarlet 
and  blue ;  Indian  scarfs,  red  and  yellow ;  handkerchiefs 
of  gaudy  colors,  chintz  printed;  scarlet  flannel  shirts, 
serge  of  cplors  (blue,  red),  linen  trousers,  etc.,  etc. 
Tools  of  all  sorts — axes,  small  hatchets,  harness  bells, 
brass  rods,  copper  rods,  combs,  zinc  mirrors,  knives, 
crockery,  tin  plates,  fish-hooks,  musical  boxes,  colored 
prints,  finger-rings,  razors,  tinned  spoons,  cheap  watches, 
etc.,  etc. 

He  thus  had  sufficient  clothing  for  a  considerable  body 


176  AElHAIfGEMEXTS   FOR   TEANSPORT. 

of  troops,  if  necessary,  while  the  magazines  coula  produce 
anything  from  a  needle  to  a  crowbar  or  from  a  handker- 
chief to  a  boat's  sail.  It  will  be  seen  hereafter  that  these 
careful  prej^arations  secured  the  success  of  the  expedition, 
as  the  troops  when  left  without  pay  could  procure  all  they 
required  from  the  apparently  inexhaustible  stores  of  the 
magazines. 

In  addition  to  the  merchandise  and  general  supplies,  he 
had  several  large  musical  boxes  with  bells  and  drums,  an 
excellent  magic  lantern,  a  magnetic  battery,  wheels  of  life, 
and  an  assortment  of  toys.  The  greatest  wonder  to  the 
natives  were  two  large  girandoles ;  also  the  silvered  balls, 
about  six  inches  in  diameter,  that,  suspended  from  the 
branches  of  a  tree,  reflected  the  scene  beneath. 

"  In  every  expedition,"  he  says,  "  the  principal  difficulty 
is  the  transport. 

" '  Travel  light,  if  possible,'  is  the  best  advice  for  all 
countries ;  but  in  this  instance  it  was  simply  impossible, 
as  the  object  of  the  expedition  was  not  only  to  convey 
steamers  to  Central  Africa,  but  to  establish  legitimate 
trade  in  the  place  of  the  nefarious  system  of  jDillage 
hitherto  adopted  by'the  so-called  White  Kile  traders.  It 
was  therefore  absolutely  necessary  to  possess  a  large  stock 
of  goods  of  all  kinds,  in  addition  to  the  machinery  and 
steel  sections  of  steamers. 

"  I  arranged  that  the  expedition  should  start  in  three 
divisions. 

"Six  steamers,  varying  from  forty  to  eighty  horse-power, 
were  ordered  to  leave  Cairo  in  June,  together  with  fifteen 
sloops  and  fifteen  diahbeeahs — total,  thirty-six  vessels — to 
ascend  the  cataracts  of  the  Nile  to  Khartoum,  a  distance, 
by  river,  of  about  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty 
miles.  These  vessels  were  to  convey  the  whole  of  the  mer- 
chandise. 


bakee's  military  force.  177 

"Twenty-five  vessels  were  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  at 
Khartoum,  together  with  three  steamers.  The  governor- 
general  (Djiaffer  Pasha),  was  to  provide  these  vessels  by  a 
certain  date,  together  with  the  camels  and  horses  necessary 
for  the  land  transport. 

"  Thus,  when  the  fleet  should  arrive  at  Khartoum  from 
Cairo,  the  total  force  of  vessels  would  be,  nine  steamers 
and  fifty-five  sailing  vessels,  the  latter  averaging  about 
fifty  tons  each. 

"  I  arranged  to  bring  up  the  rear  by  another  route,  via. 
Sonakim,  on  the  Red  Sea,  from  which  the  desert  journey 
to  Berber,  on  the  Nile,  north  latitude  17°,  37',  is  tAvo  hun- 
dred and  seventy-five  statute  miles. 

"  My  reason  for  this  division  of  routes  was  to  insure  a 
quick  supply  of  camels,  as  much  delay  would  have  been 
occasioned  had  the  great  mass  of  transport  been  conveyed 
by  one  road. 

"  The  military  arrangements  comprised  a  force  of  one 
thousand  six  hundred  and  forty-five  troops,  including  a 
corps  of  two  hundred  irregular  cavalry  and  two  batteries 
of  artillery.  The  infantry  were  two  regiments  supposed 
to  be  well  selected.  The  black,  or  Soudani,  regiment  in- 
cluded many  ofiicers  and  men  who  had  served  for  some 
years  in  Mexico  with  the  French  army,  under  Marshal 
Bazaine.  The  Egyptian  regiment  turned  out  to  be,  for  the 
most  part,  convicted  felons,  who  had  been  transported  for 
various  crimes  from  Egypt  to  the  Soudan. 

"  The  artillery  w^ere  rifled  mountain-guns  of  bronze,  the 
barrel  weighing  two  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  and  throw- 
ing shells  of  eight  and  a  quarter  jDounds.  The  authorities 
at  Woolwich  had  kindly  supplied  the  expedition  with  two 
hundred  Hale's  rockets — three  pounders — and  fifty  Snider 
rifles,  together  with  fifty  thousand  rounds  of  Snider 
ammunition.      The   military  force  and  supplies  were  to 


178  THE   FLEET   DELAYED. 

be   massed   in   Khartoum   ready   to  meet   me   upon   my 
arrival. 

"A  train  of  forty-one  railway  wagons  laden  with  sections 
of  steamers,  machinery,  boiler  sections,  etc.,  etc.,  arrived  at 
Cairo  and  were  embarked  on  board  eleven  hired  vessels. 
With  the  greatest  difficulty,  I  procured  a  steamer  of  one 
hundred  and  forty  horse-poAver  to  tow  this  flotilla  to  Ko- 
rosko,  from  which  spot  the  desert  journey  would  commence. 
I  obtained  this  steamer  only  by  j^ersonal  application  to  the 
khedive. 

"On  the  5th  of  December,  1869,  we  brought  up  the 
rear,  and  left  Suez  on  board  an  Egyj^tian  slooj3-of-war,  the 
Senaar.  In  four  days  and  a  half  we  reached  Sonakim, 
after  an  escape  from  wreck  on  the  reef  of  Shadwan,  and  a 
close  acquaintance  with  a  large  barque,  wdth  which  we 
nearly  came  into  collision. 

"We  anchored  safely  in  the  harbor  of  Sonakim,  and 
landed  my  twenty-one  horses  without  accident. 

"  I  was  met  by  the  governor,  my  old  friend,  Moontazz 
Bey,  a  highly  intelligent  Circassian  officer,  who  had  shown 
me  much  kindness  in  my  former  exj^edition. 

"  A  week's  delay  in  Sonakim  w^as  necessary  in  order  to 
obtain  camels.  In  fourteen  days  we  crossed  the  desert,  two 
hundred  and  seventy-five  miles,  to  Berber  on  the  Nile,  and 
found  a  steamer  and  diahbeeah  in  readiness.  We  arrived 
at  Khartoum,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles  by  water,  in 
three  days,  having  accomplished  the  journey  from  Suez  in 
the  short  space  of  thirty-two  days,  including  stoppages." 

But  while  he  had  pushed  forward  with  great  speed  he 
found,  when  he  reached  Khartoum,  that  his  fleet  had  not 
arrived.  None  of  the  steamers  from  Cah-o  had  passed  the 
cataracts,  the  fifteen  sloops  on  which  he  had  depended  for 
the  transportation  of  camels  had  returned,  while  only  a 
few  small  vessels  were  above  the  cataract.   The  first  division, 


START   OF   THE   EXPEDITIOIf.  181 

consisting  of  the  merchandise,  had  arrived,  and  he  heard 
that  a  train  of  a  thousand  camels  with  all  his  machinery 
and  steamers  were  slowly  traversing  the  desert  to  meet  him, 
while  the  third  division  soon  came  up.  Thus  everything 
had  moved  like  clockwork  except  that  portion  of  the  expe- 
dition especially  under  the  charge  of  the  khedive.  Mr. 
Baker  now  urged  the  governor  to  purchase  vessels,  and  in 
a  few  weeks  thirty-three  of  fifty  or  sixty  tons  each,  such  as 
they  were,  were  rigged  for  the  voyage  of  one  thousand  four 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  Gondokoro.  He  found  that  the 
two  hundred  and  fifty  cavalry  sent  to  him  were  worthless 
and  dismissed  them. 

On  the  8th  of  February  he  was  ready  to  start,  and 
having  embraced  the  black  pasha,  a  host  of  boys  and  a  fat 
colonel,  that  he  could  not  reach  around,  the  bugles  rung 
cheerily  out,  and  two  steamers  of  thirty-two  and  twenty- 
four  horse-power,  and  thirty-one  sailing  vessels,  carrying  a 
military  force  of  eight  hundred  men,  moved  off  under  a 
salute  from  shore.  Among  these  were  forty-six  men  se- 
lected from  two  regiments,  half  black  and  half  white,  which 
were  to  serve  as  a  body-guard.  They  were  armed  with 
Snider  rifles,  and  Baker  named  them  "  the  forty  thieves." 
Sweeping  down  to  the  White  Nile,  they  began  to  ascend  it 
under  a  strong  wind  from  the  north.  The  White  Xile  is  a 
grand  river  up  to  the  junction  of  the  Sobat,  when  it  becomes 
imiiassable  on  account  of  the  masses  of  vegetation  that  cover 
it,  and  floating  islands.  He  here  entered  the  Bahr  Giraffe,  a 
stream  some  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide  but  very  deep 
and  winding.  Up  this  they  slowly  worked  their  way  for 
two  weeks,  when  they  came  to  so  much  drift  vegetation 
that  it  took  four  hours  to  force  a  passage  through  it.  The 
next  day,  February  26th,  the  obstructions  increased,  and  a 
canal  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  long  had  to  be  cut. 
Large  masses  of  tangled  grass,  resembling  sugar-canes,  had 


182  CHAKGE   OF   A   HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

to  be  cut  out  witli  swords  and  then  towed  away  by  ropes. 
Having  at  length  cleared  a  j^assage  they  pushed  on. 

The  next  day  similar  obstructions  had  to  be  removed, 
and  the  day  after,  just  after  starting,  they  were  surprised 
to  find  the  river,  though  fourteen  feet  deep,  had  suddenly 
disappeared.  The  entire  surface  was  covered  with  matted 
vegetation,  under  which  the  invisible  river  swept  on. 
They  now  returned  down  the  river  eighty  miles  to  their 
old  wooding-place.  On  the  way  back  they  met  the  fleet, 
composed  of  one  steamer  and  twenty-five  vessels,  coming 
up  with  a  good  supply- of  wood  and  bringing  the  troops, 
which  were  in  good  health — one  man  alone  missing,  he 
having  been  carried  off  by  a  crocodile  while  sitting  with 
his  legs  dangling  over  the  side  of  the  vessel.  Two  days 
after,  a  brisk  wind  sprang  up  and  the  vessels  started  off 
again.  At  one  o'clock.  Baker,  who  happened  to  be  sleep- 
ing on  the  poop-deck,  was  suddenly  awakened  by  a  heavy 
shock,  succeeded  by  cries  of  "the  shij)  is  sinking."  A 
hippopotamus  had  charged  the  steamer's  bottom  and 
smashed  several  floats  from  one  of  her  paddles.  The  next 
instant  he  charged  the  diahbeeah,  or  boat,  and  striking  her 
bottom  about  ten  feet  from  her  bow  with  his  tusks,  drove 
two  holes  through  her  iron  plating,  letting  the  water  in 
with  a  rush.  All  hands  fell  to  and  unloaded  as  rapidly  as 
possible.  They  then  pumped  out  the  water,  and  with 
some  thick  felt  and  white  lead  stopped  the  leak. 

At  length  they  came  to  where  the  river  disappeared, 
a  ad  Baker,  though  he  did  not  know  how  far  this  level 
plain  of  vegetation  extended,  ordered  seven  hundred  men 
to  cut  a  channel.  The  next  day  they  cut  a  mile  and  a 
half  with  their  swords  and  knives,  piling  u}^  the  stringy 
mass  on  either  side  like  a  bank.  It  was  deadly  work, 
and  at  night  thirty-two  men  were  taken  sick.  Five  days 
of  terrible  work  finally  brought  them  through  it,  and  they 


I 


CUTTING  CHANNELS   FOR  THE  BOAT.  185 

entered  on  a  lake  a  half  a  mile  wide  with  its  ripples 
dancing  in  the  sunlight.  A  loud  shout  went  up  at  the 
sight,  while  bugles  and  drums  filled  the  air  with  glad 
sounds.  But  the  farther  end  was  choked  up  with  the 
same  matted  vegetation.  It  was,  however,  cleared  away  in 
an  hour,  when  they  emerged  on  another  lake,  but  its  far- 
ther extremity  was  closed  up  solid,  and  Baker,  from  the 
mast-head,  could  discern  nothing  but  rotten  vegetation  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  This  was  discouraging,  but 
only  two  courses  lay  before  him — return  or  cut  his  way 
through.  He  determined  on  the  latter,  and  by  probing 
the  marsh  with  long  poles  he  discovered  the  deep  channel 
underneath  and  set  the  men  to  clear  it,  and  soon  the 
stream  was  black  with  swimmers  hard  at  work.  The  men 
became  sick  and  disj)irited,  for  there  seemed  no  end  to 
their  toil.  Besides,  the  marsh  was  filled  with  shakes,  one 
of  which  crawled  into  Baker's  boat. 

In  three  days,  however,  they  had  cut  a  canal  to  a  third 
and  larger  lake  some  two  and  a  half  miles  long.  On 
exploring  this,  another  lake  was  discovered  ahead,  with 
only  a  slight  obstruction  between.  All  was  wild  and 
desolate  around,  and  now,  as  the  sun  stooped  to  the  west, 
in  the  south  great  clouds  began  to  roll  up  the  heavens  and 
the  deep  thunder  broke  heavily  along  the  sky.  The  fleet 
coming  up  slowly  began  to  assemble  on  the  lake  prepara- 
tory to  passing  the  night.  The  paddles  had  to  be  taken 
off,  as  the  channel  was  made  no  wider  than  absolutely 
necessary,  and  they  were  towed  through.  This  retarded 
their  progress,  and  it  became  doubtful  when  they  could  be 
used  asjain.  Thus  their  chief  reliance  became  a  hindrance, 
for  instead  of  towing  they  had  to  be  towed.  Here  Baker 
killed  a  hippopotamus.     He  says  : 

"  About  half  an  hour  before  sunset  I  observed  the  head 
of  a  hippopotamus  emerge  from  the  bank  of  high  grass 


186  SHOOTING   A   HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

that  fringed  the  lake.  My  troops  had  no  meat — and  I 
must  not  lose  the  opj)ortunity  of  procuring,  if  possible,  a 
supply  of  hippopotamus  beef.  I  took  a  Keilly,  No.  8, 
breech-loader,  and  started  in  the  little  dingy  belonging  to 
the  diahbeeah.  Having  paddled  quietly  along  the  edge 
of  the  grass  for  a  couple  of  hundred  of  yards,  I  arrived  at 
the  spot  from  which  the  hippopotamus  had  emerged.  It  is 
the  general  habit  of  the  hippopotami  in  these  marsh  dis- 
tricts to  lie  in  the  high-grass  swamps  during  the  day,  and 
to  swim  or  amuse  themselves  in  the  open  water  at  sunset. 
I  had  not  waited  long  before  I  heard  a  snort,  and  I  per- 
ceived the  hippopotamus  had  risen  to  the  surface,  about 
fifty  yards  from  me.  This  distance  was  a  little  too  great 
for  the  accurate  firing  necessary  to  reach  the  brain,  espe- 
cially when  the  shot  must  be  taken  from  a  boat  in  which 
there  is  always  some  movement.  I  therefore  allowed  the 
animal  to  disappear,  after  which  I  immediately  ordered  the 
boat  forward,  to  remain  exactly  over  the  sjDot  where  he  had 
sunk.  A  few  minutes  elapsed,  when  the  great,  ugly  head 
of  the  hippo230tamus  api^eared  about  thirty  paces  from  the 
boat,  and  having  blown  the  water  from  his  nostrils  and 
snorted  loudly,  he  turned  around  and  appeared  astonished 
to  find  the  solitary  little  boat  so  near  him.  Telling  the  two 
boatmen  to  sit  perfectly  quiet,  so  as  to  allow  a  good  sight, 
I  aimed  just  below  the  eye,  and  fired  a  heavy  shell,  which 
contained  a  bursting  charge  of  three  drachms  of  fine-grained 
powder.  The  head  disappeared.  A  little  smoke  hung 
over  the  water,  and  I  could  not  observe  other  efiects.  The 
lake  was  deep,  and  after  vainly  sounding  for  the  body  with 
a  boat-hook,  I  returned  to  the  diahbeeah  just  as  it  became 
dark." 

The  next  day  the  body  of  the  hippopotamus  was  found 
floating  near  them,  and  all  hands  turned  to  to  cut  him  up, 
delighted  with  the  prospect  of  fresh  meat.    A  pouring  rain 


DISPATCHING  A  CEOCODILE.  191 

soon  after  set  in,  wetting  the  cargoes  and  stores  of  the 
miserable  vessels. 

The  next  day,  while  digging  the  steamers  out  of  the 
vegetable  rafts  that,  after  they  had  been  cut  away  by  the 
men  to  make  a  canal,  had  drifted  into  the  lake,  they  felt 
something  struggling  beneath  their  feet.  They  had  hardly 
scrambled  away  from  the  place  when  the  huge  head  of  a 
crocodile  protruded  through  the  mass.  The  men  imme- 
diately fell  upon  him  with  bill-hooks  and  swords,  and  soon 
dispatched  him,  and  that  night  made  a  good  supper  off  his 
flesh. 

They  now  kept  on,  day  after  day,  it  being  a  continual 
succession  of  marshes  and  open  patches  of  water.  The 
men  grew  more  discouraged  and  heart-broken.  One  sol- 
dier died,  but  there  was  not  a  foot  of  dry  ground  in  which 
to  bury  him.  Day  after  day  it  was  the  same  monoto- 
nous, disheartening,  slow  pushing  up  this  half-hidden, 
stream.  Another  man  died,  and  how  many  more  would 
follow  before  the  fifteen  miles  of  marsh  that  now  lay  before 
them  was  cut  through,  none  could  tell.  By  March  26th, 
six  more  had  died  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  were  on  the 
sick-list.  Two  days  after  Mr.  Baker  killed  another  hip- 
pojDotamus.  On  the  30th,  they  got  once  more  into  the  open 
river,  with  dry  land  on  both  banks.  As  they  were  poling 
along  wild  buffaloes  were  seen  on  the  bank,  one  of  which 
Lieutenant  Baker  killed,  while  Mr.  Baker  wounded 
another. 

They  had  now  been  fifty-one  days  toiling  up  this  miser- 
able stream,  the  men  almost  constantly  in  the  water,  cut- 
ting a  channel ;  and  just  as  things  became  to  look  hopeful, 
they  were  suddenly  stopped.  The  water  became  so  shallow 
that  everything  grounded,  and  Mr.  Baker,  going  aliead  for 
three  miles  in  a  row-boat,  found  the  river  dividing  into 
shallow  channels,  which  made  farther  advance  impossible. 


192  BAKER   NOT   DISCOUKAGED. 

This,  then,  was  the  end  of  it  all — the  end  of  nearly  two 
months'  incessant  toil  and  suffering.  All  were  thoroughly 
disheartened.  Instead  of  cutting  their  way  to  open  water, 
they  had  reached  solid  land.  Nearly  two  months  of  con- 
stant toil  had  been  wasted,  and  worse  than  that,  so  much 
must  be  taken  out  of  the  time  allowed  him  to  perform  his 
work.  It  was  enough  to  discourage  any  man  ;  but  Baker 
was  too  old  an  explorer  to  give  up  because  he  was  com- 
pelled to  turn  back  for  awhile. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE   EETUKIf. 

baker's  heroic  wife— a  slaver  catjght— a  sickening  spectacle— freedom— description 

OF  THE  camp— A  CARGO  OF  SLAVES  DISCOVERED— SLAVES  FREED— WHOLESALE  MATRIMONY- 
EXPLORING  THE  WHITE  NILE— A  NEW  START— A  NEW  LAKE— THE  WHITE  NILE  REACHED  AT 
LAST— A  FIERCE  NIGHT  ATTACK  BY  A  HIPPOPOTAMUS— A  THRILLING  SCENE— GONDOKORO  AT 
LAST  REACHED. 

THERE  was  now  nothing  left  to  do  but  to  return,  and 
April  3d,  with  a  heavy  heart,  Baker  gave  the  neces- 
sary orders.  But  he  had  no  intention  of  abandoning  his 
object.  He  was  determined  the  next  season  to  return  by 
the  same  route  and  cut  his  way  through  to  the  Nile.  He, 
however,  communicated  his  resolve  to  no  one  but  his  heroic 
wife  and  Lieutenant  Baker.  One  of  the  most  remarkable 
features  of  this  expedition  was  tlie  presence  of  this  solitary 
lady,  who,  rejecting  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  a  home 
wdiich  were  hers,  resolved  to  accompany  her  husband  into 
the  heart  of  Africa — braving  fever,  toil  and  probable  death 
to  stand  by  his  side  and  share  his  fate,  with  the  possibility 
of  being  left  alone,  as  she  would  be  in  case  her  husband 
fell  before  disease  or  the  bullet  of  the  savages,  she  thought 
only  of  being  by  his  side  if  struck  down  by  sickness,  or 
perchance  to  save  him  in  the  hour  of  danger.  Cool,  self- 
possessed,  fearless  and  full  of  resources,  she  became  his 
guardian  angel  and  stands  out  in  bold  relief  in  this  danger- 
ous expedition  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  characters 
in  it. 

Not  much  of  interest  attended  this  return  trip — to-day 

193 


194  CAPTURING   A   SLAVER. 

stalking  an  antelope,  to-morrow  shooting  a  hippopotamus 
or  crocodile,  or  bagging  some  wild  fowl,  made  up  the  most 
exciting  incidents. 

April  20th,  just  below  the  junction  of  the  Bahr-Giraffe 
with  the  White  Nile,  he  came  in  sight  of  one  of  the  gov- 
ernors' vessels  of  this  district,  and,  watching  it  through  his 
powerful  telescope,  he  noticed  suspicious  movements  on 
board  of  her,  and  thought  he  saw  a  number  of  people 
driven  on  board.  Coming  down  stream  at  the  rate  of 
eight  miles  an  hour,  he  soon  ranged  up  along  side  the 
bank  on  which  the  governor's  tent  was  pitched,  and  invited 
him  on  board.  He  told  him  of  the  impossibility  of  ad- 
vancing that  year  by  the  way  of  the  Bahr-Giraffe  and  had 
therefore  returned.  After  some  conversation  with  him, 
and  putting  some  close  questions  as  to  certain  movements 
he  had  noticed.  Baker  sent  his  aid-de-camp  to  visit  the 
vessels  lying  near.  The  result  was  the  discovery  of  a  gang 
of  slaves.  Mr.  Baker  then  politely  requested  to  be  shown 
round  the  encampment  on  sliore.  To  his  horror,  he  found 
a  mass  of  slaves  squatted  on  the  ground — many  of  the 
women  secured  by  ropes  round  the  neck,  and  amid  the 
filthy  fetid  mass,  not  only  children  but  infants.  Altogether, 
on  the  boats  and  on  shore,  were  found  one  hundred  and 
fifty -five  slaves.  Though  this  territory  was  not  in  Baker's 
jurisdiction,  as  fixed  by  the  khedive,  yet  he  insisted  on  the 
liberation  of  the  slaves,  and  though  the  governor  rebelled 
at  first,  he,  at  length,  on  being  threatened  with  the  wrath 
of  the  khedive,  yielded,  and  the  naked,  astonished  crowd 
of  slaves  departed  with  loud  discordant  yells  of  rejoicing 
to  their  distant  homes. 

Mr.  Baker  now  determined  to  establish  a  jDermanent 
camp,  and  selecting  a  forest  on  a  bank  near  the  junction 
of  the  Sobat,  commenced  operations.  He  had  passed  the 
junction  of  this  river  on  his  way  up  in  the  middle  of  Feb- 


PLAGUE   OF   FLIES.  195 

ruary,  and  now  in  the  latter  part  of  April  he  found  him- 
self there  again,  having  accomplished  nothing  except  to 
learn  how  apparently  impossible  was  the  route  in  that 
direction.  More  than  two  months  had  been  passed,  and 
the  total  result  of  his  efforts  could  be  summed  up  in  the 
death  report  of  the  number  that  had  sunk  before  the  ex- 
posures they  had  to  meet  in  the  pestiferous  country  they 
had  traversed.     Mr.  Baker  says  in  his  journal : 

"  I  gave  the  name  Tewfikeeyah  to  the  new  station,  which 
rapidly  grew  into  a  place  of  importance.  It  was  totally 
unlike  an  Egyptian  camp,  as  all  the  lines  were  straight. 
Deep  ditches,  cut  in  every  direction,  drained  the  station  to 
the  river.  I  made  a  quay  about  five  hundred  yards  in 
length,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  by  which  the  whole  fleet 
could  lie  and  embark  or  disembark  cargo.  A  large  stable 
contained  the  twenty  horses,  which  by  great  care  had  kept 
their  condition.  It  was  absolutely  necessary  to  keep  them 
in  a  dark  stable  on  account  of  the  flies  which  attacked  all 
animals  in  swarms.  Even  within  the  darkened  building  it 
was  necessary  to  light  fires  composed  of  dried  horse-dung, 
to  drive  away  these  persecuting  insects.  The  hair  fell 
completely  off  the  ears  and  legs  of  the  donkeys  (which 
were  allowed  to  ramble  about)  owing  to  the  swarms  of  flies 
which  irritated  the  skin ;  but  in  spite  of  the  comparative 
comfort  of  a  stable,  the  donkeys  preferred  a  life  of  out-door 
independence,  and  fell  off  in  condition  if  confined  to  a 
house.  The  worst  flies  were  the  small  gray  ones  with  a  long 
proboscis,  similar  to  those  that  are  often  seen  in  houses  in 
England. 

"  In  an  incredibly  short  time  the  station  fell  in  shape. 
I  constructed  three  magazines  of  galvanized  iron,  each 
eighty  feet  in  length,  and  the  head  storekeeper,  Mr.  Mar- 
copolo,  at  last  completed  his  arduous  task  of  storing  the 
immense  amount  of  supplies  that  had  been  contained  in  the 
fleet  of  vessels. 


196  WHITE   NILE   EATS. 

"  This  introduced  us  to  the  White  Nile  rats,  which  vol- 
unteered their  services  in  thousands,  and  quickly  took  pos- 
session of  the  magazines  by  tunneling  beneath  and  ap- 
pearing in  the  midst  of  a  rat's  paradise,  among  thousands 
of  bushels  of  rice,  biscuits,  lentils,  etc.  The  destruction 
caused  by  these  animals  was  frightful.  They  gnawed  holes 
in  the  sacks,  and  the  contents  poured  upon  the  ground  like 
sand  from  an  hour-glass,  to  be  immediately  attacked  and 
devoured  by  white  ants.  There  was  no  lime  in  the  coun- 
try, nor  stone  of  any  kind,  thus  it  was  utterly  impossible  to 
stop  the  ravages  of  white  ants  except  by  the  constant  labor 
of  turning  over  the  vast  masses  of  boxes  and  stores,  to 
cleanse  them  from  the  earthern  galleries  which  denote  the 
presence  of  the  termites. 

"I  had  European  vegetable  seeds  of  all  kinds,  and 
having  cleared  and  grubbed  a  portion  of  forest,  we  quickly 
established  gardens.  The  English  quarter  was  particularly 
neat.  The  various  plots  were  separated  by  fences,  and  the 
ground  was  under  cultivation  for  about  two  acres,  extend- 
ing to  the  margin  of  the  river.  I  did  not  build  a  house 
for  myself,  as  we  preferred  our  comfortable  diahbeeah, 
which  was  moored  alongside  the  garden,  from  the  entrance  of 
which  a  walk  led  to  a  couple  of  large,  shady  mimosas  that 
formed  my  public  divan,  where  all  visitors  were  received. 

"  In  a  short  time  we  had  above  ground  sweet  melons, 
watermelons,  pumpkins,  cabbages,  tomatoes,  cauliflowers, 
beet  root,  parsley,  lettuce,  celery,  etc.;  but  all  the  peas, 
beans,  and  a  very  large  selection  of  maize  that  I  had 
received  from  England  were  destroyed  during  the  voyage. 
Against  my  express  orders  the  box  had  been  hermetically 
sealed,  and  the  vitality  of  the  larger  seeds  was  entirely 
gone.  Seeds  should  be  simply  packed  in  brown  paper 
bags  and  secured  in  a  basket." 

In  a  few  weeks  a  marvelous  change  had  taken  place  in 


A   SLAVE   CAEGO.  •  107 

this  uninhabited  wilderness.  In  addition  to  the  long  rows 
of  white  tents  and  iron  magazines  which  had  been  erected, 
a  hundred  neat  huts  stood  arranged  in  an  exact  line. 
These,  besides  various  workshops  and  the  sound  of  lathes, 
saws,  and  the  hammer  and  anvil  filled  the  forests  with 
strange,  unwonted  sights  and  sounds.  Here  he  killed  his 
first  ostrich,  notwithstanding  his  long  travels  in  Africa. 
He  was  now  located  where  the  governor  could  be  detected 
in  his  nefarious  business  as  slave-trader,  (which  he  stoutly 
denied,)  as  all  cargoes  would  have  to  come  down  the  Sobat 
directly  past  his  encampment.  A  watch  was  kept  up,  and 
in  less  than  a  week  it  was  rewarded  by  the  outlook  seeing 
a  vessel  descending  the  river ;  and  although  taken  by  sur- 
prise at  the  number  of  vessels  moored  to  the  bank,  the 
stranger  made  no  signal,  but,  keeping  the  middle  of  the 
river,  endeavored  to  pass.  This  looked  suspicious,  and 
Baker  sent  a  boat  with  the  orders  to  halt,  and  directed  his 
aide-de-camp,  Abd-el-Kader,  to  go  on  board  to  inquire 
about  her  cargo.  She  had  a  quantity  of  corn  stowed  in 
bulk,  nothing  else,  beside  her  crew  and  a  few  soldiers,  said 
the  captain,  who  was  indignant  at  being  suspected  of  any- 
thing wrong.  But  there  seemed  an  awkward  smell  about 
the  cargo,  and  Abd-el-Kader,  drawing  a  steel  ramrod  from 
a  soldier's  rifle,  ran  it  into  the  corn ;  a  smothered  cry,  fol- 
lowed by  a  woolly  head,  was  the  result,  and  a  negro  woman 
was  pulled  out  by  the  wfist. 

"The  corn  was  at  once  removed;  the  planks  which 
boarded  up  the  forecastle  and  the  stern  were  broken  down, 
and  there  was  a  mass  of  humanity  exposed,  boys,  girls  and 
women  closely  packed  like  herrings  in  a  barrel,  who  under 
the  fear  of  threats  had  remained  perfectly  silent  until  thus 
discovered.  The  sail  attached  to  the  mainyard  of  the 
vessel  appeared  full  and  heavy  in  the  lower  part ;  this  was 
examined,  and,  upon  unpacking  it,  yielded  a  young  woman 
who  had  thus  been  sewn  up  to  avoid  discovery. 


198  SETTING   THE   CAPTIVES    FREE. 

"  The  case  was  immediately  reported  to  me.  I  at  once 
ordered  the  vessel  to  be  unloaded.  We  discovered  one 
hundred  and  fifty  slaves  stowed  away  in  a  most  inconceiv- 
ably small  area.  The  stench  was  horrible  when  they 
began  to  move.  Many  were  in  irons ;  these  were  quickly 
released  by  the  blacksmiths,  to  the  astonishment  of  the 
captives,  who  did  not  appear  to  understand  the  proceedings. 
I  ordered  the  rakeel  and  the  reis,  or  captain  of  the  vessel, 
to  be  put  in  irons.  The  slaves  began  to  comprehend  that 
their  captors  were  now  captives.  They  now  began  to 
speak,  and  many  declared  that  the  greater  portion  of  the 
men  of  their  villages  had  been  killed  by  the  slave-hunters. 

"  Having  weighed  the  ivory  and  counted  the  tusks,  I  had 
the  vessel  reloaded ;  and,  having  placed  an  officer  with  a 
guard  on  board,  I  sent  her  to  Khartoum  to  be  confiscated 
as  a  slaver.  I  ordered  the  slaves  to  wash,  and  issued 
clothes  from  the  magazines  for  the  naked  women. 

"  On  the  following  day  I  inspected  the  captives,  and  I 
explained  to  them  their  exact  position.  They  were  free 
people,  and  if  their  homes  were  at  a  reasonable  distance, 
they  should  be  returned;  if  not,  they  must  make  them- 
selves generally  useful,  in  return  for  which  they  would  be 
fed  and  t  clothed.  If  any  of  the  women  wished  to  marry, 
there  were  many  fine  young  men  in  the  regiments  who 
would  make  capital  husbands.  I  gave  each  person  a  paper 
of  freedom,  signed  by  myself.  This  was  contained  in  a 
hollow  reed,  and  suspended  round  their  necks.  Their 
names,  approximate  age,  sex  and  country  were  registered 
in  a  book  corresponding  with  the  number  on  their  papers. 

"  These  arrangements  occupied  the  whole  morning.  In 
the  afternoon  I  again  inspected  them.  Having  asked  the 
officers  whether  any  of  the  negresses  would  wish  to  be 
married,  he  replied  that  all  the  women  wished  to  marry, 
and  that  they  had  already  selected  their  husbands !     This 


MATRIMONIAL   ENGAGEMENTS.  199 

was  wholesale  matrimony,  that  required  a  church  as  large 
as  Westminster  Abbey  and  a  whole  company  of  clergy. 

"  Fortunately,  matters  are  briefly  arranged  in  Africa.  I 
saw  the  loving  couples  standing  hand  in  hand.  Some  of 
the  girls  were  pretty,  and  my  black  troops  had  shown  good 
taste  in  their  selection.  Unfortunately,  however,  for  the 
Egyptian  regiment,  the  black  ladies  had  a  strong  antipathy 
to  brown  men,  and  the  suitors  were  all  refused.  This  was 
a  very  awkward  affair.  The  ladies  having  received  their 
freedom,  at  once  asserted  '  woman's  rights.' 

"I  Avas  obliged  to  limit  the  matrimonial  engagements, 
and  those  who  were  for  a  time  condemned  to  single  bless- 
edness were  placed  in  charge  of  certain  officers  to  perform 
the  cooking  for  the  troops  and  other  domestic  work.  I 
divided  the  boys  into  classes ;  some  I  gave  to  the  English 
workmen  to  be  instructed  in  carpenters'  and  blacksmiths' 
work ;  others  were  apprenticed  to  tailors,  shoemakers,  etc., 
in  the  regiment,  while  the  best-looking  were  selected  as 
domestic  servants.  A  nice  little  girl  of  about  three  years 
old,  without  parents,  was  taken  care  of  by  my  wife. 

"Little  Mostoora,  as  the  child  was  called,  was  an  exceed- 
ingly clever  specimen  of  her  race,  and  although  she  was 
certainly  not  more  than  three  years  old,  she  was  quicker 
than  most  children  double  her  age.  With  an  ugly  little 
face,  she  had  a  beautifully  shaped  figure,  and  possessed  a 
power  of  muscle  that  I  have  never  seen  in  a  white  child  of 
that  age.  Her  lot  had  fallen  in  pleasant  quarters;  she 
was  soon  dressed  in  convenient  clothes,  and  became  the  pet 
of  the  family." 

He  spent  some  time  now  in  exploring  the  White  Nile 
and  perfecting  his  arrangements  for  a  new  start.  Many 
difficulties  had  presented  themselves,  and  complications  of 
various  kinds  arose,  owing  to  the  hostility  of  the  traders  to 
the  object  of  his  expedition. 


200  DEATH   OF   THE   BLIND   SHEIKH. 

Baker  had  determined  on  starting  for  Gondokoro  from 
Tewfikeeyah,  where  he  arrived  on  October  22d,  and  imme- 
diately commenced  his  preparations.  The  river  was  then 
at  its  maximum,  and  had  risen  at  this  spot  from  the  lowest 
level  of  the  dry  season,  fourteen  feet  and  one  inch. 

There  was  an  old  blind  sheikh  who  frequently  visited 
Baker  from  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  this  poor  old 
fellow  came  to  a  most  untimely  end  w^hen  returning  one 
day  with  his  son  from  marketing  at  Tewfikeeyah.  Baker 
was  walking  on  the  temporary  quay  he  had  constructed, 
when  all  at  once  he  heard  a  great  commotion  and  saw  a 
splashing  in  the  river,  on  the  surface  of  which  were  float- 
ing the  fragments  of  a  native  canoe.  There  happened  at 
the  time  to  be  several  other  canoes  on  the  river,  several  of 
which  at  once  went  to  the  rescue  of  the  two  men,  who  could 
be  seen  struggling  in  the  water.  It  appeared  that  a  hippo- 
potamus had  made  a  sudden  and  savage  attack  on  the 
canoe,  and  seized  it  in  his  mouth,  together  with  the  poor 
old  blind  sheikh,  who  could  not  see  or  avoid  the  danger. 
The  brute  crushed  the  frail  boat  to  pieces,  and  so  lacerated 
and  mangled  the  old  man  that,  although  he  was  picked  up 
alive,  he  died  during  the  night. 

While  getting  ready  for  a  start,  thoroughly  repairing 
and  recalking  the  vessels  which  were  to  form  part  of  the 
fleet,  he  -occupied  a  small  Robinson-Crusoe-like  house, 
which  he  had  built  for  himself  ashore ;  and  here,  only  a 
very  short  time  previous  to  his  departure,  he  had  a  very 
narrow  escape  from  being  robbed. 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  he  was  wakened  by  a 
noise  in  the  room  adjoining  to  that  in  which  he  was  sleep- 
ing, and,  on  listening,  he  distinctly  heard  the  lid  of  a  metal 
box  opened  and  again  carefully  closed.  He  always  slept 
with  a  pistol  under  his  pillow,  so,  grasping  his  revolver,  he 
made  one  jump  from  his  bed,  which,  however,  at  that  mo- 


COMPLETING   THE   DEPARTURE.  203 

ment  creaked  so  loudly  as  to  give  tlie  alarm  to  the  thief, 
and  Baker,  on  rushing  through  the  open  doorway,  was  just 
in  time  to  see  a  man  jump  through  the  Venetian  blinds  on 
the  river  side  of  the  house.  To  fire  a  shot  after  the  re- 
treating figure  and  shout  for  the  sentry  was  the  work  of  an 
instant,  but  the  would-be  thief  managed  to  escape,  and  no 
trace  was  ever  found  of  him. 

But  everything  at  last  being  ready,  the  first  division  of 
the  fleet,  consisting  of  eight  vessels,  having  started  on  De- 
cember 1st,  followed  up  every  third  or  fourth  day  by  an- 
other division.  Baker  himself  brought  up  the  rear,  on 
December  11th,  completing  the  departure,  with  twenty-six 
vessels,  making  quite  a  formidable  fleet  with  which  to 
pierce  to  the  centre  of  Africa. 

The  extensive  and  neat  station  of  Tewfikeeyah,  where 
he  had  been  so  long,  was  completely  dismantled.  The 
iron  magazines,  with  their  contents,  were  safely  stowed  in 
the  different  vessels ;  the  horses  were  shipj)ed,  the  stables 
being  all  pulled  down  and  the  wood  cut  up  for  fuel.  The 
long  rows  of  white  tents  were  struck,  and  nothing  remained 
of  the  station'save  a  few  rows  of  deserted  huts.  It  seemed 
almost  impossible  that  so  large  a  place  as  Tewfikeeyah 
could  be  packed  up  and  stowed  away  on  board  the  fifty- 
nine  vessels  of  the  fleet. 

Baker  had  made  every  preparation  for  cutting  through 
the  Sudd,  having  on  hand  many  hundred  sharp  bill-hooks, 
switching-hooks,  bean-hooks,  sabres,  etc.,  also  several  hun- 
dred miners'  spades,  shovels,  etc.,  in  the  event  of  there 
being  a  necessity  of  deepening  the  shallows. 

The  Nile  was  unusually  high,  which  was  a  favorable 
point  for  the  voyage,  as  the  success  of  the  expedition 
depended  on  their  crossing  the  shallows  during  the  flood. 

To  attempt  to  give  a  general  description  of  this  voyage 
would  be  impossible,  so  we  shall  give  a  few  extracts  from 


204  TERRIBLE   NEWS A   VESSEL   SUNK. 

Baker's  original  journal,  mentioning  the  most  striking 
incidents  that  occurred. 

On  December  11th,  1870,  we  find  this  entry :  "  Thank 
goodness,  we  are  oflf,  and  in  good  time,  as  the  river  is 
exceedingly  high,  though  it  has  already  fallen  about  five 
inches  from  its  maximum. 

"  December  12th. — About  2.30  A.  M.  we  were'  hailed  by 
two  noggurs  (vessels)  in  distress.  Stopped  immediately, 
and  learned  that  the  No.  15  noggur,  their  consort,  had 
sunk  in  deep  water  close  to  this  sj)ot.  At  daybreak, 
searched  the  river  and  discovered  the  wreck  in  eighteen 
feet  of  water.  Two  good  divers  worked  for  hours,  and 
recovered  several  muskets  and  copper  cooking  pots.  Leav- 
ing the  wholesale  wreck,  we  continued  the  voyage  at 
10.50  A.  M.,  with  a  brisk  north  wind. 

"  December  17th. — In  the  afternoon,  the  two  diahbeeahs 
of  the  Englishmen  came  up  and  gave  us  the  terrible  news 
that  one  of  the  vessels  had  sunk  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Sobat,  on  the  day  of  our  departure  from  Tewfikeeyah. 
This  vessel  was  laden  with  portions  of  the  steamer  of  fifty 
feet." 

As  the  loss  of  the  steamer  sections  and  machinery  with 
which  this  vessel  was  laden  would  have  been  fatal  to  the 
object  of  the  expedition.  Baker  at  once  proceeded  to  the 
spot,  and  after  waiting  for  some  days  for  the  arrival  of 
assistance  from  the  king,  Quat  Kan,  to  whom  he  had  dis- 
patched a  messenger,  on  the  27tli  December  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  shillooks,  under  the  command  of  old 
Quat  Kan  himself,  arrived.  They  proceeded  to  lighten 
the  vessel,  and  by  means  of  sunken  kyasses  well  secured 
to  the  vessel  with  chains,  they  succeeded  in  dragging  the 
vessel  from  the  river's  bed,  bringing  her  to  the  surface  and 
discovering  and  stopping  the  leaks. 

On  January  9th,  Baker  reached  the  mouth  of  an  old 


FRESH   PERPLEXITIES.  207 

channel  where  he  had  been  the  preceding  year,  and  found 
it  completely  blocked  up  by  an  accumulation  of  floating 
rafts.  Here  they  were  frequently  stopped  by  vegetation, 
through  which  they  had  to  cut  their  way.  At  this  stop- 
page, Baker  shot  a  specimen  of  the  Baleniceps  Rex  with  a 
rifle.  The  powerful,  spear-like  beak  of  this  bird  is  used 
by  the  natives  for  crushing  the  shells  of  the  large  helix 
and  other  mollusks  of  the  White  Nile. 

For  days  succeeding  this  they  made  but  slow  progress, 
sometimes  not  over  three  hundred  yards  in  a  whole  day, 
which  had  to  be  cut  through  heavy  rafts  of  vegetation. 

On  January  18th,  Baker  entered  the  Lake  Timsah 
(Crocodile  Lake),  which  appeared  to  him  from  his  mast- 
head to  be  an  unbroken  sheet  of  water  for  some  miles ;  but 
he  found  out  early  the  next  day  that  he  must  have  been 
deceived  by  a  mirage,  as  they  were  again  hindered  in 
their  onward  progress  by  the  same  obstructions  as  before. 

He  soon  found  a  new  channel  coming  from  the  south, 
which  he  explored  about  two  miles,  it  appearing  to  be  a 
river  of  some  two  to  three  hundred  yards  wide.  Baker 
pushed  ahead  in  the  dingy  till  all  seemed  closed  again,  but 
finally  succeeded  in  reaching  the  old  channel,  and  through 
which  they  entered  into  a  lake  where  a  year  before  he  had 
buried  two  artillerymen  in  an  ant-hill. 

Tayib  Agha,  who  had  twelve  vessels  with  him,  had  not 
yet  come  in  sight,  which  fact  gave  Baker  much  uneasiness ; 
as,  should  any  accident  occur,  he  would  be  at  a  loss  how  to 
act ;  and,  to  add  to  perplexities,  Julian  was  very  sick  with 
a  fever.  However,  nothing  would  do  but  to  push  ahead. 
•They  here  observed  the  tree,  at  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
distant,  which  marked  the  open  water  of  last  year.  A  soli- 
tary dry  spot  near  this  is  the  very  heart  of  desolation  ;  it  is 
about  half  an  acre,  raised  like  the  back  of  a  huge  tortoise, 
about  five  feet  above  the  highest  water  level,  upon  which 


208  FORCING  THEIR   WAY   ONWARD. 

crocodiles  in  great  numbers  love  to  bask  in  undisturbed 
sleep. 

They  soon  passed  the  lake,  and  found  the  depth  of  the 
river  again  very  unsatisfactory — ^varying  from  shallows 
with  vegetable  obstructions  to  deep  channels  as  before. 

The  journal  of  the  slow  ascent  of  the  river  during  this 
month  and  the  next  is  monotonous,  relieved  only  now  and 
then  by  some  accident  or  the  killing  of  game.  Over  the 
same  ground,  cutting  the  same  canals,  the  expedition  forced 
its  weary  way  onward — sometimes  discharging  cargoes  in 
the  mud  to  lighten  vessels  over  shallows — in  one  case,  cut- 
ting a  channel  six  hundred  yards  long  through  stiff  clay, 
and  advanced  so  slowly  that  it  did  not  seem  difficult  to  tell 
where  this  strange  inland  navigation  with  such  a  fleet 
would  end.  But  at  last,  on  the  9th  of  March,  they  emerged 
into  a  lake  five  miles  long,  from  the  extremity  of  which 
they  found  a  stream,  only  a  mile  and  a  quarter  long,  flowing 
directly  into  the  great  White  Nile  above  all  its  obstructions. 
"  Thank  God !"  was  echoed  from  all  lips.  Still  it  required 
great  labor  to  get  the  fleet  up  to  this  point  which  Baker 
had  reached  in  his  exploring  boat.  A  dam  had  to  be  made 
to  float  them  to  the  lake,  a  work  of  immense  labor ;  but  it 
was  at  length  completed  and  the  fleet  brought  safely  up. 
Mr.  Baker  killed  that  day  two  hippopotami,  and  the  lake 
seemed  to  be  full  of  them. 

The  night  was  clear  and  cool  and  the  moon  silvered  this 
lovely  lake  with  her  brightness,  while  the  deck  was 
covered  with  sleepers  under  their  mosquito  nets,  and  all 
was  still,  when  suddenly  Mr.  Baker  was  aroused  by  a  loud 
splash  close  to  his  boat,  accompanied  with  the  loud  snort 
of  a  hippopotamus.  Jumping  up  he  saw  a  huge  fellow 
making  straight  for  the  boat.  Instantly  tearing  away  the 
strings  that  held  the  mosquito  netting  in  its  place,  he 
aroused  the  sleepers  and  shouted  to  his  servant  to  bring  his 


Fig.  I. 


rig.  2. 


T\%.  3. 


KK-4 


Fiff.*. 


Hg,    1.— Packet  of  plaited  rope,  in  the  exact  shape  as  presented  by  the  natives. 
"       2. — Sandal  of  raw  hide.  .  ,,  uj„„*i,a 

"       3.— Skull  of  the  Baleniceps  Rex.    The  powerful  spear-like  beak  is  used  for  crusning  me 

shells  of  the  large  helix  and  other  molluscs. 
"       4.— The  iron  molote.  or  spade,  one-third  of  the  original  size. 
"       5.— Pipe  bowl. 


A   DESPERATE   FIGHT.  211 

rifle.  But  before  it  could  be  brought,  the  furious  animal, 
with  one  blow,  capsized  and  sunk  the  zinc  boat.  He  then 
seized  the  dingy  in  his  immense  jaws  and  Baker  heard,  with 
rage,  his  favorite  boat  crack.  The  servant  hurried  up  with 
the  rifle  but  it  was  unloaded.  In  the  meantime,  the  people 
were  shouting  and  screaming  at  the  top  of  their  voices  to 
scare  away  the  beast,  which,  however,  paid  no  attention  to 
them,  and  kept  up  his  ferocious  attack.  Baker  now  returned 
with  a  loaded  rifle,  but  the  beast  charged  and  plunged  so 
rapidly  that  it  was  difficult  to  get  a  fair  shot.  In  a  few 
moments,  however,  he  come  straight  for  the  boat  again. 
The  moon  was  shining  bright,  and  Baker  planted  a  shot 
in  his  ugly  head.  It  stopj^ed  him  but  a  moment,  however, 
and  he  charged  again.  Baker  now  kept  up  a  rapid  fire, 
till,  at  length,  the  beast  appeared  to  be  badly  wounded, 
and,  crawling  to  the  bank,  lay  down  on  the  grass  blowing 
and  snorting.  Thinking  he  would  die.  Baker  returned  to 
bed  again  and  fell  asleep,  but  was  soon  awakened  by  a  loud 
splash.  Jumping  up,  he  saw  the  animal,  furious  and 
strong  as  ever,  dashing  full  on  the  boat.  But  a  bullet  in 
the  head  sent  him  rolling  over  down  the  stream.  But  he 
soon  recovered  and  came  thrashing  back.  He  did  not 
repeat  his  attack,  but  retired  to  the  shore,  where  he  re- 
mained snorting  and  blowing.  Baker  again  went  to  bed, 
when  he  was  awakened  the  third  time  by  a  loud  splashing 
in  the  water.  Rising,  he  saw  the  animal  slowly  walking 
across  the  stream  broadside  to.  This  gave  him  a  fair  shot, 
and  he  planted  two  balls  in  his  shoulder.  He,  however, 
kept  on,  and,  reaching  the  right  bank,  turned  round  and 
attempted  to  walk  back  again.  This  gave  Baker  a  chance 
at  the  other  side,  when  a  well-planted  shot  rolled  him  over, 
dead.  In  the  morning,  on  examination,  it  was  discovered 
that  he  had  received  three  shots  in  the  side  and  shoulder, 
four  in  the  head,  while  another  had  passed  through  his 


212  AKEIVED   AT   GONDOKORO. 

nose.  Beside  this,  his  body  was  covered  with  old  sears — 
one  two  feet  long — showing  that  he  was  a  desperate  fighter, 
and  had  had  many  savage  encounters  with  hulls  of  his  own 
species. 

The  work  of  getting  through  to  the  White  Nile  now 
re-commenced,  and,  being  safely  accomplished,  the  fleet  in 
a  month  from  that  time  reached  Gondokoro,  its  great  ob- 
jective point.  This  was  the  15th  of  April,  or  four  months 
from  the  time  he  last  set  out.  On  this  very  day,  Stanley 
was  climbing  the  Kira  Peak,  on  his  way  to  Livingstone. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

THE  COrNTRY  FORMALLY  TAKEN  POSSESSION  OF — WAR  AT  LAST — A  NIGHT  ATTACK  ON  A  NATTVB 
VILLAGE— DISAFFECTION  IN  THE  ARMY— ATTACKED  BY  CROCODILES— AN  OLD  MAN-EATER 
KILLED— A  CA3IPAIGN  AGAINST  THE  ENEMY— THE  ARMY  PROPOSE  TO  RETURN  HOME— BAKER 
OBTAINS  CORN  AND  RESTORES  SUBORDINATION — THE  ARMY  GREATLY  REDUCED — A  FIGHT — 
TARGET-SHOOTING  AT  MEN. 

MK.  BxlKER  had  thus  accomplished  his  one  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  fifty-six  miles  from  Khar- 
toum, surmounting  difficulties  that  would  have  daunted 
most  men.  This  was  to  be  the  central  point  of  the  new 
territory  he  was  to  annex  in  the  name  of  the  khedive. 
He  immediately  sent  for  the  chief  Alloron,  and  told  him  the 
object  for  which  he  had  come,  but  was  not  well  received. 
In  the  meantime  his  men  were  set  to  work  making  garden, 
and  in  a  few  days  it  was  well  planted.  The  Baris,  a  war- 
like tribe  in  the  vicinity,  Baker  expected  to  have  trouble 
with,  and  prepared  early  to  meet  it. 

The  next  month,  on  May  26th,  he  had  fixed  for  the 
official  annexation  of  the  country  to  Egypt,  but  which,  by 
the  way,  she  had  no  more  right  to  than  we  to  the  Indian 
territory.  The  troops,  one  thousand  four  hundred  strong, 
in  clean,  bright  uniforms,  were  paraded  around  the  flag- 
staff; the  official  proclamation,  declaring  that  the  khedive 
took  possession  of  the  country,  was  then  read ;  the  flag  was 
run  up  the  staff,  saluted  by  the  officers  with  their  drawn 
swords,  the  artillery  fired  a  salute,  and  the  ceremony  was 
over.  The  natives  looked  on  in  mute  surprise,  but  were 
told  that  this  was  for  their  own  good,  to  protect  them  from 

215 


216  WAR   AT   LAST. 

the  slave-traders,  who  had  taken  possession  of  and  deso- 
lated their  country. 

Steps  were  now  taken  to  get  the  natives  to  work,  and, 
for  awhile,  things  looked  promising;  but  the  warlike 
Baris  soon  showed  signs  of  insubordination  and  began  to 
be  hostile.  On  the  7th  of  June,  Baker  found  that  the 
Baris  of  Gondokoro  had  leagued  themselves  with  the 
natives  of  Belinian  against  him.  War  had  come  at  last, 
and  he  gave  orders  for  an  attack  on  a  town  of  Belinian 
that  night.  With  twenty  of  his  "Forty  Thieves,"  and 
fifty  Egyptian  troops,  he  started  off  in  the  darkness.  It 
rained  heavily,  and  the  ground  was  in  some  places  marshy, 
so  that  it  was  nearly  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  they 
arrived  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  villages.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Tayib  Agha,  with  three  companies  of  Soudan 
troops,  had  been  left  behind  to  get  the  gun  through  a 
heavy  swamp,  and  join  them  as  soon  as  possible.  Just 
before  daylight.  Baker  and  his  force  marched  on,  but  had 
not  proceeded  far  when  they  heard  the  alarm  given,  which 
was  quickly  repeated  on  every  side.  No  time  was  now  to 
be  lost,  and,  putting  the  horses  at  a  hard  gallop,  and  the 
infantry  on  a  run,  they  rushed  forward,  and,  in  a  couple 
of  minutes,  emerged  into  an  open  space,  in  which  was  a 
circular  stockade.  This  was  immediately  surrounded,  and 
the  firing  commenced — arrows  against  musketry.  It  was 
awkward  fighting  and,  as  the  full  daylight  revealed  the 
door.  Baker  ordered  the  bugle  to  sound  "  cease  firing,"  and 
prej)are  to  force  the  entrance.  This  was  a  narrow  door- 
way, about  four  feet  and  a  half  high,  built  of  large  pieces 
of  hard  wood.  Transverse  bars  of  a  species  of  ebony 
blocked  it,  between  which  was  jammed  a  mass  of  hooked 
thorn.  It  was  an  ugly  obstacle  to  surmount,  but  Abd-el- 
Kader  and  Lieutenant  Baker,  with  the  "  Forty  Thieves," 
rushed  against  it,  protected  by  the  fire  of  the  other  troops. 


A   NIGHT   ATTACK.  217 

"  In  the  meantime,"  says  Baker,  "  the  immense  drum 
within  the  stockade  was  thundering  out  the  summons  to 
collect  the  whole  of  the  neighborhood  for  war.  This  signal 
was  answered  by  the  heavy  booming  sound  of  innumerable 
drums  throughout  the  district,  far  and  near ;  and,  as  it  had 
now  become  light,  I  could  distinguish  the  natives  col- 
lecting from  all  parts,  and  evidently  surrounding  our 
position  ;  I  therefore  posted  my  men  as  skirmishers  around 
the  circle,  about  eighty  yards  distant  from  the  stockade, 
facing  outward,  while  the  small  party  forced  the  gate- 
way. 

"  The  fire  of  the  Snider  rifles  and  the  steady  shooting  of 
the  *  Forty  Thieves'  quickly  reduced  the  number  of  arrows, 
and  the  natives,  finding  it  was  getting  too  hot,  suddenly 
made  a  dash  by  a  secret  entrance  and  rushed  through  the 
troops,  now  of  necessity  widely  scattered,  and  they  gained 
the  forest. 

"At  the  same  time  the  gateway  was  forced,  and  we 
found  a  prize  within  of  upward  of  six  hundred  cows. 
The  stockade,  or  zaveeba,  was  immensely  strong,  formed 
of  massive  logs  of  iron-wood,  deeply  imbedded  in  the  earth, 
and  arranged  so  closely  together  that  not  one  bullet  out  of 
ten  would  have  found  its  way  through  the  crevices  if  fired 
from  a  distance.  The  proper  way  to  attack  the  circular 
strongholds  is  to  make  a  sudden  rush  close  up  to  the  de- 
fense, and  to  lay  the  rifle  between  the  openings;  the 
stockade  then  becomes  a  protection  to  the  attacking  party, 
as  there  is  no  flank  fire  to  enfilade  them. 

"The  natives  were  now  gathering  from  all  sides;  but 
we  were  in  possession,  and  although  our  party  consisted  of 
only  seventy  men,  we  had  an  impregnable  position,  which 
I  could  hold  until  joined  by  Tayib  Agha.  I  accordingly 
took  a  few  of  the  '  Forty  Thieves '  to  a  distance  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  paces  away  from  the  centre  and 


218  FEJROCITY    OF   CROCODILES. 

concealed  them  as  sharpshooters  wherever  I  found  a  con- 
venient cover.  The  fire  of  the  Sniders  kept  the  enemy  at 
a  respectful  distance,  and  I  took  a  few  shots  myself  at  long 
range,  to  teach  them  the  real  value  of  a  Snider  rifle 

"There  were  no  signs  of  Tayib  Agha.  The  sun  was  risen 
and  clouds  of  steam  began  to  rise  from  the  wet  ground  and 
the  dripping  trees.  I  ordered  some  grass  huts  to  be  fired, 
as  the  volumes  of  smoke  might  attract  the  attention  of  Tayib 
Agha's  detachment,  which  had  evidently  gone  astray.  If 
near,  they  must  have  heard  the  sound  of  our  rifles. 

"  The  huts  were  soon  in  flames,  and  the  smoke  rose  high 
in  air,  which  would  be  a  signal  to  be  seen  from  a  great 
distance. 

"  I  sent  two  buglers  to  the  top  of  a  tall  tree,  from  which 
elevated  post  they  blew  the  call  for  the  lieutenant-colonel 
and  his  three  companies  continually  for  about  half  an 
hour." 

The  gun  having  finally  come  up.  Baker  marched  through 
the  district,  scattering  the  natives  in  every  direction.  Soon 
after  this  Baker  discovered  that  the  Egyptian  commander 
of  troops  of  the  khedive  was  in  close  intimacy  with  a  native 
chief  who  was  hostile  to  the  whole  expedition,  while  the 
ofiicers  fraternized  with  the  slave-traders  of  the  White 
Nile,  and  had  actually  purchased  slaves.  The  result  was, 
the  army  began  to  be  disaffected,  and  talk  of  returning 
home.  Added  to  this,  the  camp  became  sickly.  In  the 
meantime  the  crocodiles  began  to  be  very  ferocious  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  in  one  day  took  off*  two  soldiers  and  a 
sailor,  while  others  were  bitten,  and  others  still  had  nar- 
row escapes.  Baker  shot  them  at  every  opportunity.  He 
killed  an  old  man-eater  over  twelve  feet  long.  In  his 
stomach  was  found  five  pounds  of  pebbles,  which  he  had 
doubtless  swallowed  while  devouring  his  prey  on  the  shore, 
a  matted  lump  of  hair,  a  necklg,ce  and  two  armlets,  such 


OPEN   DISAFFECTION.  219 

as  are  worn  by  the  negro  girls.  "The  girl  had  been 
digested." 

The  Baris,  in  the  meantime,  kept  Baker  perpetually- 
harassed.  Every  night  they  lurked  around  the  cattle- 
yard,  often  attacking  the  men ;  and,  on  one  occasion,  made 
a  desperate  assault  on  the  camp. 

On  the  last  of  July,  Baker  received  news  that  an  officer 
and  six  men,  whom  he  had  left  under  the  protection  of  a 
neighboring  sheikh,  had  been  killed  by  a  hostile  tribe. 
As  the  summer  wore  away  it  became  certain  that  all 
attempts  to  raise  a  crop  this  year  would  fail,  on  account  of 
the  drought,  and  hence  it  was  an  anxious  question  how 
the  army  was  to  subsist.  But,  the  first  thing  to  be  done 
was  to  subdue  the  Bellinians,  and  Baker  projected  and 
carried  out  a  regular  campaign  against  them  of  thirty-five 
days,  in  which  he  completely  subdued  them  and  drove 
them  out  of  the  country.  But  now  disaffection  showed 
itself  openly  in  the  army.  They  disliked  both  the  disci- 
pline they  were  compelled  to  maintain  and  the  refusal  to 
let  them  hold  as  slaves  those  they  had  captured  in  war. 

On  the  13th  of  October  it  came  to  a  head — he  received 
a  letter  from  the  Egyptian  commander  and  subordinate 
officers  of  the  troops,  the  substance  of  which  was  they  had 
determined  to  abandon  the  expedition — ^the  chief  reason 
given  being  there  was  no  corn  in  the  country,  and  the 
soldiers  would  starve. 

Baker,  disgusted  with  such  conduct,  did  not  condescend 
to  make  any  reply.  Instead,  he  sent  the  following  unex- 
pected order :  "  Colonel  Kaouf  Bey,  with  six  companies 
of  troops,  to  be  under  orders  at  2  A.  M.,  to  await  me  at 
head-quarters.'' 

Leaving  Mr.  Higginbotham  in  entire  charge  of  the  ves- 
sels, he  ordered  three  boats  to  be  in  readiness  to  cross  the 
river  at  two  o'clock.     With  two  days'  provisions,  he  de- 


220  TAPPING   THE   GRANAEIES. 

termined  to  push  straight  for  the  Bera  island,  to  look  for 
corn,  for  the  want  of  which  the  army  wished  to  return. 

Pushing  seven  miles  up  the  river,  they  landed  on  the 
west  bank,  and  hauling  the  boats  up  stream  by  ropes, 
passed  through  a  country  that  looked  more  like  a  gentle- 
man's park  than  an  African  wilderness.     Among  these, 
countless  villages  were  scattered,  out  of  which  the  naked 
inhabitants  swarmed  like  bees,  brandishing  their  spears 
and  gesticulating  wildly.    Baker  now  turned  toward  them, 
when  they  retreated  inland  to  the  shelter  of  some  large, 
isolated,  curious-shaped   granite   blocks.      Advancing  to 
within  one  hundred  and  twenty  paces,  he,  through  his 
interpreter,  told  them  he  had  not  come  to  fight,  but  to  buy 
corn,  for  which  he  would  pay  them  in  cattle.    They  replied 
in  insulting  language,  saying  they  were  going  to  take  his 
cattle  by  force,  and  bade  him  be  off.     Still  advancing  and 
making  offers  of  peace,  which  were  rejected  with  scorn, 
he  at  length  suddenly  changed  his  tactics,  and  ordered  the 
bugler  to  sound  the  assembly,  and  drew  up  his  troops  in 
force.      The  echoes  of  the  bugle  through  the  wood,  and 
the  sudden  approach  of  such  a  force,  sent  them  to  the  right 
about,  and  they  retreated,  blowing  their  whistles  as  they 
did  so,  in  defiance.    Baker  now  extended  his  two  comj)anies 
a  half  mile  along,  so  as  to  cover  the  villages  in  front  of 
him,  and  then  advanced,  giving  strict  orders  not  to  enter 
any  of  the  huts,  but  to  tap  on  their  googoos  or  granaries 
to  see  if  they  were  full      These  varied  in  size,  some  hold- 
ing forty  and  others  sixty  bushels.    The  inhabitants  looked 
on  in  mute  astonishment  at  this  strange  proceeding,  while 
the  line  steadily  moved  on  through  village  after  village, 
quietly  tapping  the  granaries  till  they  had  gone  through 
twenty  or  thirty  villages  or  more,  in  each  of  which  were 
at  least  fifteen  granaries,  nearly  all  quite  full  of  corn.     As 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  innumerable  villages  were  seen 


DISCOMFITURE  OF   EAOUF   BEY.  221 

scattered  around  the  open  glades,  all  of  them  containing 
corn  in  abundance. 

From  the  high  land  near  by,  he  gazed  down  on  a  long 
series  of  rich  islands  in  the  river  that  looked  like  a  long 
"  line  of  granaries."  He  felt  as  the  Israelites  did  when 
approaching  the  promised  land,  and  thanked  God  and 
took  courage.  "Sailors,"  he  said,  "who  have  been  in 
danger  of  shipwreck  on  a  lee  shore  in  a  heavy  gale  may 
understand  the  relief  offered  by  a  sudden  shift  of  wind  in 
the  moment  of  extremity.  Such  experience  alone  can 
allow  an  appreciation  of  the  mental  reaction  after  a  great 
strain  of  anxiety  that  I  had  suffered  for  some  time  past." 
He  now  addressed  his  "  Forty  Thieves,"  telling  them  that 
he  knew  the  country  of  old,  and  was  well  aware  that  this 
was  the  true  granary  of  Gondokoro,  and  that  he  was  glad 
that  he  could  increase  their  rations  of  corn. 

Having  given  the  necessary  orders  for  the  night  to  the 
now  utterly  discomfited  Raouf  Bey,  he,  for  the  first  time 
for  twenty-four  hours,  obtained  a  little  nourishment  in  the 
shape  of  porridge.  A  fire  of  dry  cattle  dung  having  been 
made  by  his  ofiicer,  Monsoor,  to  keep  off  the  musquitoes, 
with  a  log  for  his  pillow,  he  lay  down  and  slept.  With 
the  bugle's  morning  call,  he  arose  and  sent  Raouf  Bey  to 
occupy  the  islands,  while  he  marched  south  and  estab- 
lished w^ell-posted  stations  about  a  mile  apart  upon  high 
ground  which  commanded  a  view  of  the  vessels  in  the 
river — the  three  forming  a  triangle.  Having  made  these 
arrangements,  he  returned  to  the  river,  and,  taking  the 
little  dingy,  started  for  Gondokoro,  and,  in  an  hour  and  a 
half,  reached  it,  ten  miles  distant.  The  sight  of  the  boat 
all  alone,  advancing  with  such  rapidity,  filled  soldiers  and 
people  with  anxiety,  and  they  thronged  the  shore  as  it  shot 
to  the  beach.  The  report  filled  all  but  the  disaffected 
Egyptian  troops  with  delight. 


222  ATTACKED    BY   THE   NATIVES. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  he  started  again  to  hurry  on 
the  gathering  and  shipment  of  the  corn.  He  found 
Kaouf  Bey  negligent  and  careless — he  had,  in  fact,  occu- 
pied but  one  island,  leaving  the  natives  to  carry  off  the 
corn  from  the  others  at  their  leisure.  He  immediately 
detailed  troops  to  occupy  these,  and  sent  Raouf  Bey  back 
to  Gondokoro  with  orders  to  dispatch  all  the  invalids  to 
Khartoum,  but  on  no  account  permit  any  others  to  go. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  he  sent  Lieutenant  Baker 
farther  up  the  river  to  occupy  some  rich  islands  in  that 
direction.  On  the  21st,  a  boat  returned  with  a  letter  from 
him,  reporting  his  success.  After  twelve  days  of  hard  and 
successful  work,  he  received  notice  that  the  two  stations  he 
had  established  were  finished,  and  so  he  sent  Abdullah, 
commanding  one,  to  take  his  detachment  and  march  south 
and  occupy  the  villages  on  the  mainland  opposite  the 
vessels  anchored  alongside  the  islands. 

On  the  24th  of  October,  having  loaded  several  vessels 
with  corn,  Baker  was  amusing  himself  shooting  ducks, 
when,  about  half-past  four,  he  heard  rapid  file-firing  in 
the  distance.  He  at  once  returned  to  his  boat,  where  he 
found  his  wife  stationed  on  the  high  poop  deck,  watching 
the  engagement  taking  place  on  the  mainland. 

"  The  troops  were  about  a  mile  distant,  and  while  steadily 
on  the  march  according  to  my  instructions,  they  were  sud- 
denly attacked  by  the  natives  in  great  force.  This  was  a 
square  stand-up  fight  in  the  open.  The  big  drums  and 
horns  were  sounding  throughout  the  country,  and  the 
natives  were  pouring  from  all  directions  to  the  battle. 
The  white  uniforms  of  the  soldiers  formed  a  strong  con- 
trast to  the  black  figures  of  the  naked  Baris;  thus  we 
could  see  the  affair  distinctly.  We  could  also  hear  the 
orders  given  by  bugle. 

"Major  Abdullah  had  prudently  secured  his  rear,  by 


A  SQUARE  STAND-UP   FIGHT.  223 

the  occupation  of  one  of  the  small  villages,  fortified  by  a 
hedge  of  impenetrable  euphorbia.  He  then  threw  out 
skirmishers  in  line,  supported  by  the  force  that  held  the 
village.  The  natives  were  yelling  in  all  directions,  and  I  • 
never  before  saw  them  make  such  a  good  fight  upon  the 
open  ground.  They  not  only  outflanked,  but  entirely 
surrounded  Abdullah's  detachment  of  ninety  men.  The 
troops  were  keeping  up  a  heavy  fire,  which  did  not  appear 
to  produce  any  decided  result,  as  the  natives  thronged  to 
the  fight  and  advanced  close  up  to  the  fire  of  the  soldiers, 
whom  they  attacked  with  bows  and  arrows.  I  ordered 
our  solitary  field-piece  to  be  dismounted  and  placed  in  the 
large  rowing-boat,  together  with  a  rocket-trough  and  the 
requisite  ammunition,  in  readiness  to  support  Abdullah 
with  a  flank  attack  upon  the  natives,  by  crossing  the  river 
should  it  be  necessary.  As  our  vessels  were  in  close  view, 
I  waited  for  the  signal  by  bugle,  should  Abdullah  require 
assistance. 

"I  had  only  twenty-two  men  of  the  *  Forty  Thieves* 
with  me,  together  with  the  eight  artillery-men  belonging 
to  the  gun.  The  remainder  of  the  '  Forty '  were  holding 
the  second  island,  about  four  miles  in  our  rear.  Just 
before  dark,  I  noticed  the  Baris  were  giving  way;  they 
had  evidently  suffered  some  loss,  which  caused  a  sudden 
retreat.  I  heard  the  bugle  sound  *  the  advance,'  and  we 
could  see  the  troops  advancing  and  firing  in  pursuit.  The 
Baris  ceased  blowing  their  horns,  and  collected  in  dense 
bodies  at  a  great  distance  from  the  troops,  who  had  halted 
and  now  held  the  position. 

*'Only  occasional  shots  were  now  fired,  and  the  sun 
having  set,  darkness  gradually  dissolved  the  view. 

"  I  fully  expected  that  the  Baris  would  renew  the  attack 
during  the  night,  but  I  knew  that  Abdullah  was  safe  in  hia 
strong  position  within  a  village  surrounded  by  the  high 


224  A   FLANK   MOVEMENT. 

and  dense  hedge  of  the  euphorbia;  the  thick,  fleshy 
branches  of  this  tree  are  the  best  protection  against  arrows. 
I  ordered  the  boat  with  the  gun  to  remain  in  readiness,  so 
as  to  start  at  a  moment's  notice,  should  we  hear  firing 
renewed  during  the  night.  I  should  then  be  able  to  land 
the  gun  and  take  them  unexpectedly  on  the  flank  with 
case  shot. 

"  Morning  broke  without  any  night  alarm.  I  had  filled 
the  vessel  with  the  last  of  the  corn  upon  the  island,  there- 
fore I  determined  to  cross  over  with  my  force  and  to  meet  the 
detachment  under  Major  Abdullah.  This  was  not  easy  to 
accomplish,  as  there  were  some  awkward  sand  banks  in  the 
middle  of  the  river.  It  was,  therefore,  necessary  to  pass 
UJ3  stream  between  two  islands,  and  then,  by  rounding  the 
head  of  a  point,  to  descend  through  a  channel  about  one 
hundred  yards  wide  between  the  western  island  and  the 
mainland.  This  occupied  about  an  hour,  and  we  dropped 
down  the  channel  and  took  up  an  excellent  position  against 
a  high  shore  that  formed  a  convenient  landing-place. 
From  this  point  the  land  rose  rapidly,  and  the  entire  land- 
scape was  covered  with  villages  abounding  in  corn.  The 
natives  appeared  to  have  deserted  the  country. 

"  Having  given  the  necessary  order,  I  took  my  shot  gun, 
and,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  Monsoor  and  two 
soldiers  of  *  the  Forty,'  I  walked  along  the  river's  bank 
toward  the  village  occupied  by  Major  Abdullah's  detach- 
ment, who  I  imagined  might  have  found  a  large  quantity 
of  corn,  which  accounted  for  the  delay  in  commencing  the 
morning's  march. 

"  There  were  great  numbers  of  ducks  and  geese  on  the 
river's  bank ;  thus  as  we  Avalked  toward  Abdullah's  vil- 
lage, about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant,  we  made  a  tolerable 
bag.  We  had  at  length  arrived  within  half  a  mile  of  the 
village,  which  was  situated  upon  high  ground,  about  six 


AN   UlfEXPECTED   DISCOVERY.  225 

hundred  yards  from  the  river,  when  I  noticed  a  number  of 
people  issuing  from  the  gateway,  carrying  large  baskets 
upon  their  heads. 

" '  The  soldiers  have  found  plenty  of  corn,'  remarked 
Monsoor,  *  they  are  carrying  it  from  the  googoos.* 

"  My  eyes  were  better  than  Monsoor's.  I  at  once  per- 
ceived that  people  thus  employed  were  Baris ! 

"  We  were  only  five  guns  now,  separated  from  our  ves- 
sels by  about  a  mile,  and  the  troops  under  Major  Abdullah 
had  evidently  evacuated  their  position ! 

"  Where  upon  earth  had  they  gone  ?  and  for  what  rea- 
son ?  Certainly  we  had  the  river  on  our  right  flank,  but 
we  might  have  been  attacked  and  cut  off  from  our  vessels 
had  the  Baris  the  pluck  to  assume  the  offensive.  It  was 
time  to  retreat,  but  as  I  wished  the  Baris  to  believe  we  felt 
quite  at  our  ease,  we  accomplished  the  move  very  easily, 
and  strolled  quietly  homeward,  shooting  ducks  and  snipe  as 
we  walked  along. 

"  The  moment  I  arrived  at  the  vessels,  I  dispatched  a 
party  in  the  steamer's  large  boat,  under  Captain  Moham- 
med Deii,  of  the  *  Forty  Thieves,'  to  row  down  the  river  and 
to  recall  Abdullah's  detachment,  that  must  have  retreated  for 
some  inconceivable  reason.  The  current  ran  at  nearly  four 
miles  per  hour ;  thus  the  boat  would  be  sure  to  overtake 
them. 

"  I  was  exceedingly  annoyed.  A  force  of  ninety  men 
had  evidently  been  cowed  by  their  engagement  with  the 
natives  on  the  previous  .evening,  and  had  retreated  upon 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Achmet's  position,  instead  of  joining 
me  according  to  orders.  At  the  same  time  my  vessels  had 
been  in  sight,  only  a  mile  and  a  half  distant.  I  was  thus 
left  with  a  small  party  of  t^iirty  men  while  ninety  men 
had  fallen  back. 

"  This  was  an  example  of  the  utter  helplessness  of  the 


226  A   LAME   APOLOGY. 

officers  and  men  when  left  to  themselves.  If  the  natives 
had  repeated  the  attack,  they  would  most  probably  have 
got  into  dire  confusion. 

"  Having  started  the  boat  I  took  ten  men  of  *the  Forty' 
and,  accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  I  marched  along 
the  bank  in  order  to  meet  the  detachment  on  its  return 
when  recalled  by  Mohammed  Deii.  During  the  march  I 
continued  to  shoot  ducks,  as  this  amusement  w^ould  deceive 
the  natives  respecting  the  retreat  of  Major  Abdullah,  w^hicli 
might  then  be  attributed  to  some  other  cause  than  fear. 

"  In  about  an  hour,  I  distinguished  a  sail  coming  round 
the  point  of  Gebel  (Mount)  Kegiaf.  The  wind  was  fair, 
and  she  quickly  ran  up  the  stream.  I  now  discovered  that 
she  was  towing  the  boat  that  I  had  sent  down  the  river  to 
recall  Abdullah's  detachment.  Upon  her  near  approach  I 
hailed  the  vessel  and  ordered  her  to  land  the  troops  (with 
which  she  was  crowded)  upon  the  west  shore. 

"  In  a  short  time,  Major  Abdullah  and  his  gallant  com- 
pany had  landed  and  formed  in  line.  His  excuse  for 
the  precipitate  retreat  which  he  had  commenced  at  day- 
break was,  that  he  feared  a  renewed  attack  and  he  was 
short  of  ammunition.  He  had,  therefore,  determined  to 
fall  back  on  the  station  occu23ied  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Achmet.  He  appeared  to  have  forgotten  that  he  could 
have  communicated  wdth  me  by  bugle. 

"  I  inspected  the  men's  pouches  and  found  that  most  of 
them  had  eighteen  or  twenty  rounds  of  cartridge,  while  the 
minimum  contained  eleven  rounds ;  this  is  what  the  major 
considered  a  short  supply  of  ammunition  for  a  march  of  a 
mile  and  a  half  along  a  beautiful  open  country  to  my 
vessels. 

He  described  the  overwhelming  number  of  the  natives 
and  their  extreme  bravery  in  the  attack  which  his  troops 
had  repelled  without  any  loss  to  themselves,  either  killed 


TARGET   PRACTICE.  227 

or  wounded.  At  the  same  time,  the  troops  under  his  com- 
mand had  killed  twenty  Baris,  whose  bodies  he  had  him- 
self counted. 

"  I  now  ordered  them  to  advance  to  the  village,  as  1 
wished  to  examine  the  position.  Upon  arrival  at  the  spot 
where  the  battle  had  taken  place,  there  were  a  number  of 
vultures  settled  in  various  spots  where  the  ground  was 
marked  with  blood,  and  the  cleanly-picked  skeleton  of  a 
man  lying  close  to  the  euphorbia  hedge,  showing  that  the . 
Baris  had  really  come  to  close  quarters." 

The  natives  had  carried  off  their  dead  with  the  excep- 
tion of  this  one  body  that  had  been  cleaned  by  the  vul- 
tures. Baker  now  marched  south  until  he  came  to  six 
villages  close  together  all  full  of  corn.  Here  he  established 
Major  Abdullah  to  collect  corn — making  this  his  central 
station.  On  the  3d,  he  sent  vessels  loaded  with  corn  to 
Gondokoro.  The  next  day,  he  dispatched  fifteen  of  his 
"  Forty  Thieves  "  to  the  south,  to  villages  that  had  not  yet 
been  disturbed.  In  the  meantime,  he  had  made  a  nice 
little  camp  on  the  bank,  erected  huts  and  granaries,  which 
were  soon  filled  Avitli  corn,  awaiting  transportation  to  Gon- 
dokoro. While  busily  engaged,  in  superintending  all  these 
arrangements,  he  suddenly  heard  steady  firing  in  the  direc- 
tion taken  by  the  small  party  of  "  the  Forty." 

Ordering  his  horse,  and  taking  with  him  three  of  the 
"Forty  Thieves"  and  Monsoor,  he  started  off  on  a  trot  in  the 
direction  of  the  firing.  After  riding  about  a  mile  and  a 
half,  he  came  suddenly  upon  a  village,  on  two  of  the  tallest 
huts  of  which  two  of  the  "Forty  Thieves  "  were  standing  as 
sentries,  while  the  rest  were  taking  long  shots  at  negroes 
who  had  attacked  them.  It  was  regular  target  practice  at 
long  range.     Baker  says : 

"  My  arrival  on  the  summit,  on  a  white  horse,  attended 
only  by  Monsoor  and  three  soldiers,  was  a  signal  for  a  great 


228  ADVANCE  IN  OPEN  ORDER. 

blowing  of  horns  and  beating  of  drums.  Immense  num- 
bers of  natives  were  to  be  seen  in  all  parts  of  the  view  be- 
fore us.  They  ran  eagerly  from  their  villages,  and  col- 
lected from  every  quarter,  evidently  bent  upon  a  fight  with 
my  little  party. 

"  I  ordered  my  men  to  cease  firing,  as  they  were  wasting 
their  ammunition  uselessly  and  destroying  the  prestige  of 
the  rifles  by  missing  at  long  ranges. 

"  I  ordered  a  general  advance  in  open  order,  about  four 
yards  apart;  thus  twenty  men  covered  a  line  of  about 
seventy-six  paces. 

"  This  front,  with  the  men  in  scarlet  uniform,  made  a 
tolerable  show.  I  rode  at  the  head  on  a  very  beautiful 
Arab  '  Greedy  Grey,'  that  was  the  most  perfect  of  all  the 
horses  I  had  brought  from  Egypt;  excelling  in  breed, 
speed,  beauty  and  temper.  He  was  very  powerful;  and 
would  stand  the  fire  of  heavy  guns  without  flinching. 

"  My  little  company  moved  forward  in  quick  time.  This 
was  the  signal  for  a  chorus  of  yells  upon  all  sides ;  the  big 
drums  sounded  louder  than  before,  and  the  horns  of  the 
Baris  bellowed  in  every  direction. 

"  Great  numbers  of  natives  now  advanced  with  their 
bows  and  arrows,  gesticulating  and  leaping  from  side  to  side 
in  their  usual  manner,  so  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  a 
steady  aim. 

"  As  yet  they  were  about  six  hundred  yards  distant,  and 
I  continued  the  march  forward  as  though  no  enemy  were 
present.  As  we  descended  a  ravine  and  marched  up  the 
opposite  incline,  I  found  that  the  natives  retired  over  the 
next  undulation.  Their  line  of  front  extended  about  a 
mile  and  a  quarter,  while  we  occupied,  at  the  most,  eighty 
paces. 

"  Having  marched  about  a  mile  without  firing  a  shot, 
and  finding  that  the  natives  invariably  fell  back  as  we  ad- 


THE  TACTICS  OF  THE  ENEMY.  231 

vanced,  at  the  same  time  that  they  kept  the  same  interval 
between  us,  I  at  once  understood  their  tactics.  It  was  now 
five  o'clock ;  the  sun  would  set  within  an  hour,  and  their 
intention  was  to  draw  us  forward  until  darkness  would  re- 
duce the  power  of  the  rifles.  They  would  then  be  able  to 
surround  us,  and  very  possibly  overpower  our  small  force 
during  our  retreat  to  the  vessels  in  the  dark. 

"  I  halted  my  men  and  explained  to  them  the  Baris's 
dodge.  I  now  ordered  the  retreat  after  this  manner.  We 
should  hurry  down  hill  and  up  the  next  undulation,  so  as 
to  deceive  the  enemy  with  the  idea  of  a  precipitate  retreat. 
This  would  induce  an  advance  on  their  side.  The  Baris 
•would  be  certain  to  follow  us  at  full  speed  if  they  supposed 
we  were  afraid  of  them.  It  was  my  intention  to  cross 
rapidly  the  first  undulation,  where  my  men  would  for  a  few 
minutes  be  out  of  view  of  the  enemy,  and  there  to  conceal 
them  in  a  deserted  village  which  I  had  noticed  during  our 
advance.  This  would  be  an  ambush  that  would  take  the 
Baris  by  surprise,  as  they  would  imagine  we  had  passed 
ahead,  they  would,  therefore,  tjome  near  the  village. 

"The  order  to  the  'right  about'  was  given,  and  my 
men,  who  took  a' keen  interest  in  the  plan,  commenced  so 
precipitate  a  march  down  hill,  that  my  horse  was  forced  to 
a  jog-trot.  I  heard  the  savage  yells  of  the  enemy,  who,  as 
I  had  expected,  now  followed  us  with  the  hope  of  cutting 
off  our  retreat  to  the  vessels. 

"  We  crossed  the  dry,  rocky  bed  of  the  torrent  in  the 
bottom,  and  ascended  the  hill-face  rapidly.  Looking  back, 
I  saw  the  natives  running  at  full  speed  in  pursuit.  They 
began  to  descend  the  hill  just  as  we  had  crossed  the  sum- 
mit of  the  high  ground ;  thus  they  lost  sight  of  us  as  we 
quickly  concealed  ourselves  behind  the  huts  and  granaries 
of  a  deserted  village.  I  hid  my  horse  behind  a  hut,  and 
the  men,  having  surrounded  the  positions,  crouched  low  on 


232  SHOT   AT   THE   RED   SHEIKH. 

tlie  ground  behind  the  most  convenient  cover.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  natives,  who  were  on  the  high  ground  on  our 
right  flank  as  we  faced  about,  perceived  the  snare,  and 
endeavored  to  give  the  alarm  by  blowing  upon  their 
whistles  of  antelope  horn.  This  was  either  misunderstood 
or  unheeded  by  the  enemy  in  our  rear,  who  quickly  made 
their  appearance. 

"  I  had  ordered  my  men  to  reserve  their  fire,  and  not  to 
expend  any  ammunition  until  the  command  should  be 
given.  My  good  Monsoor  was  to  reload  for  me,  and  I 
borrowed  a  Snider  rifle  from  a  soldier.  I  rested  the 
*  Dutchman '  against  the  googoo  or  wicker  granary,  behind 
which  I  was  concealed. 

"  The  natives  on  our  right  flank  now  pressed  forward, 
which  would  bring  them  in  our  rear;  at  the  same  time 
those  in  our  front  appeared  in  very  loose  and  open  order, 
evidently  looking  for  us  in  all  directions. 

"  I  observed  a  man  painted  red,  like  a  stick  of  sealing- 
wax,  with  large  ivory  bracelets  upon  his  arms.  This  fel- 
low was  in  advance,  and  he  ascended  a  small  ant-hill  to 
obtain  a  better  view.  Monsoor  whispered:  'That's  the 
sheikh.'  At  the  same  time  I  had  taken  a  rest  with  the  rifle 
as  I  knelt  down  by  the  googoo-stand  A  puff  of  smoke, 
and  the  sharp  crack  of  the  rifle  startled  the  enemy,  as  the 
red  shiekh  rolled  over.  The  yells  increased  on  all  sides, 
the  whistles  of  the  antelope-horns  now  sounded  a  shrill 
alarm,  during  which  the  red  shiekh  recovered  his  legs  and 
vainly  attempted  a  dance  of  defiance.  The  leading  Baris 
shot  ofi"  their  arrows,  but  they  fell  short.  In  the  mean- 
time my  men  had  remained  motionless.  Concealment  was 
now  useless ;  I  therefore  thrcAV  ofi"  the  cover  of  a  googoo, 
into  which  excellent  position  I  had  climbed,  while  Monsoor 
stood  upon  the  frame-work  to  hand  me  a  spare  rifle. 

"  The  circular  googoo  raised  three  feet  from  the  ground 


CHAEGE   OF   THE   "FORTY   THIEVES."  233 

afforded  a  splendid  lookout.  In  this  I  could  turn  and 
fire  in  every  direction,  like  a  pivot  gun  on  a  Martello 
tower. 

"  The  red  sheikh  was  now  about  two  hundred  yards  dis- 
tant and  was  gesticulating  to  his  people,  who  were  evidently 
shy  of  closing  with  our  position.  A  shot  from  the  googoo 
struck  him  through  the  body,  and  he  staggered  and  fell, 
never  to  rise  again. 

"A  few  natives  immediately  made  arush  forward  to  recover 
him.  One  immediately  fell  at  a  shot  from  the  googoo,  but 
recovering  himself  like  a  cat,  he  staggered  down  the  hill. 
Another  quick  shot  cracked  upon  the  body  of  a  native, 
who  was  caught  in  the  arms  of  his  comrades  and  dragged 
away  as  they  precipitately  retreated  in  all  directions  from 
the  dangerous  locality. 

*•  My  men  now  begged  me  to  allow  them  to  charge  and 
capture  the  man  who  was  endeavoring  to  escape.  I  gave 
them  leave,  and  a  party  of  fifteen  dashed  out  in  pursuit, 
with  loud  yells,  after  the  retreating  natives.  For  about  a 
minute,  the  natives  faced  them  and  shot  their  arrows,  but 
the  gallant  fifteen  coolly  knelt  upon  the  clear  ground,  and, 
taking  steady  rest  upon  their  knees,  opened  a  fire  that 
wounded  one  man,  who  was  immediately  supported  by  his 
fellows,  and  drove  the  enemy  before  them.  The  fifteen 
immediately  charged  forward  and  bayoneted  a  fugitive, 
and  returned  with  his  bow  and  arrows  in  triumph. 

"  The  enemy  had  quickly  had  the  worst  of  it.  They 
were  now  standing  in  all  directions  at  distances  varying 
from  four  hundred  to  one  thousand  paces.  Many  of  them 
were  actually  in  our  rear,  but  I  noticed  that  these  fellows 
were  already  opening  to  the  right  and  left,  as  though  they 
faltered  in  their  determination  to  resist-our  retreat  to  the 
vessels.  I  determined  to  follow  up  the  first  advantage.  I  • 
therefore  ordered  my  men  to  hand  ine  their  rifles  as  quickly 


234  A   GENERAL   SKEDADDLE. 

as  I  required  them,  and  I  opened  fire  in  all  directions  from 
my  elevated  position. 

"  The  Baris  would  not  stand  in  the  open  ground  before 
the  Sniders. 

"  Having  set  the  sights  for  four  hundred  yards,  I  took 
them  first  and  continued  until  the  country  was  completely 
cleared  of  an  enemy  up  to  one  thousand  paces. 

"  The  ground  was  dry  and  dusty,  thus  each  bullet  marked 
its  hit  as  the  puff  of  dust  rose  from  the  earth  like  a  jet  of 
smoke. 

"  Some  of  the  enemy  were  knocked  over  at  very  long 
ranges ;  others  were  so  scared  by  the  close  practice,  as  the 
bullets  either  struck  the  ground  at  their  feet  or  pinged 
close  to  their  ears,  that  they  cleared  off  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible. Their  noisy  drums  had  ceased,  and  suddenly  I 
perceived  a  general  skedaddle,  as  those  uj)on  our  right 
flank  started  off  at  full  speed,  shouting  and  yelling  to 
alarm  the  rest.  I  now  distinguished  a  body  of  troops  hur- 
rying at  the  double-quick  down  the  hillside  in  the  distance. 
These  were  commanded  by  an  active  Soudani  ofiicer  (lieu- 
tenant), who  had  been  in  Mexico  under  Marshal  Bazaine. 
He  had  heard  the  firing  as  he  was  returning  with  his  day's 
collection  of  corn  to  the  vessels ;  he  had,  therefore,  dropped 
the  corn  and  hurried  on  with  "his  party  to  our  support.  I 
ordered  the  bugles  to  sound  the  retreat,  and,  having  joined 
forces,  we  marched  without  further  opposition. 

"  We  reached  the  diahbeeah  and  my  little  camp  about 
half  an  hour  after  dark." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

VESSELS  LEAVE  FOR  KHAETOUM  WITH  THE  nrV'ALIDS— ABDULLAH'S  VILLAIKY— EXPLOBEfG  THE 
■WHITE  NILE— MEETIKQ  A  FRIENDLY  TRIBE— INTEEVIEW  WITH  THE  SHEIKH- SORCERY  AND 
TALISMANS— MAGIC— AN  ELEPHANT  HCNT— ITS  MORAL  EFFECTS— SCRAMBLE  FOR  THE  FLESH— 
THE  TRIBES  SEEK  PEACE— ELEPHANTS  ENTER  THE  FORT— A  WILD  SCENE— ELEPHANTS  GATHER- 
ING FRUIT— AN  ADVFNTL'RE  WITH  A  HIPPOPOTAMUS— THE  COUNTRY  AT  PEACE— BAKKK  BB- 
SOLVES  TO  START  SOUTH. 

AFTER  the  departure  of  Major  Abdullah,  the  natives 
attacked  the  other  station  near  him,  commanded  by 
Colonel  Aclimet,  and  had  wounded  him  in  the  back  with 
a  barbed  arrow,  which  had  to  be  cut  out.  Another  passed 
through  the  heart  of  his  servant,  killing  him  on  the  spot, 
while  several  soldiers  had  been  wounded.  On  the  3d  of 
November,  thirty  vessels  had  left  Gondokoro  for  Khar- 
toum, taking  about  one  thousand  one  hundred  people, 
including  women,  sailors  and  invalids.  This  was  contrary 
to  Baker's  exjDress  orders,  and  was  done  on  purpose  by 
Raouf  Bey,  to  weaken  the  force  and  cripple  him  so  that 
he  could  not  carry  out  the  object  of  his  expedition.  By 
this  means  he  was  reduced  to  five  hundred  and  two  officers 
and  men,  which  should  have  numbered  one  thousand  six 
hundred  and  forty-five.  This  was  really  the  work  of  the 
ruffianly  slave-trader,  Abou  Saood,  who  had  now  apparently 
gained  his  point,  and  the  expedition  was  paralyzed.  Baker 
had  written  for  reinforcements,  but  he  did  not  know  when 
they  would  arrive,  while  there  remained  but  one  year  and 
four  months  of  the  time  allowed  him  to  accomplish  his 
work.  But  he  determined,  reduced  as  he  was,  not  to  relax 
his  effi)rts  to  secure  the  great  end  of  the  expedition.     He 

235 


236  FRIENDLY    NATIVES. 

had  conquered  the  Baris  and  Gondokoro  was  well  fortified, 
so  that  he  had  nothing  to  fear  from  that  quarter. 

On  the  10th  of  November  he  took  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  to  reconnoitre  the  country,  at  the  last  cataracts  of  the 
White  Nile,  some  six  miles  distant.  As  he  marched  along 
the  high  ground,  nothing  could  exceed  the  beauty  of  the 
country  as  an  agricultural  settlement.  The  long,  sloping 
undulations  were  ornamented  with  innumerable  villages, 
in  all  of  which  were  overflowing  granaries.  Ascending  a 
slope,  to  his  astonishment  he  saw  a  large  number  of  natives 
who  appeared  friendly.  Leaving  his  rifle  with  Monsoor, 
he  rode  up  within  fifty  yards  of  them.  His  interpreter 
explained  that  he  was  only  on  an  exploration,  and  had  no 
intention  of  taking  their  property,  but  wished  to  see 
their  sheikh.  They  said  they  were  governed  by  a  great 
shiekh  named  Bedden,  whose  territory  was  bounded  by  the 
torrent-bed  that  he  had  just  crossed.  They  j^romised  that 
he  should  pay  Baker  a  visit  on  the  morrow ;  in  the  mean- 
time, if  he  required  any  corn,  they  would  sujDply  him.  This 
was  a  politeness  to  which  he  was  quite  unaccustomed.  He 
therefore  thanked  them,  but  declined  their  offer,  saying  that 
he  wanted  nothing  from  them  except  friendship.  He  now 
discovered  that  these  people  had  never  had  any  connection 
with  the  slave-traders,  who  were  afraid  to  molest  so  power- 
ful a  tribe.  At  parting,  he  gave  them  a  white  handker- 
chief, as  a  signal  to  his  sentries,  when  they  should  arrive. 

"  We  then,"  he  says,  "  returned  to  our  station,  the  troops 
sharing  the  satisfaction  that  I  felt,  in  having  at  length  dis- 
covered friends. 

"  On  the  following  day,  at  about  3  P.  M.,  the  sentry  on 
the  hill  called  to  the  guard  that  a  very  large  body  of  natives 
were  approaching  the  station.  I  presumed  that  these  were 
the  followers  of  Bedden,  I  therefore  ascended  the  slope 
and  examined  them  with  a  telescope.     My  suspicions  were 


THE  sheikh's  visit.  237 

aroused  from  tlie  extraordinary  number  of  people — at  least 
seven  hundred  natives  were  accompanying  their  sheikh.  I 
returned  to  camp  and  made  preparations  to  receive  his 
visit  with  a  guard  of  honor.  I  drew  up  a  hundred  men 
parallel  with  the  river,  about  fifty  yards  from  the  bank, 
near  the  bow  of  my  diahbeeah.  Fifty  men  were  in  line  at 
right  angles  with  the  river — thus  the  lines  formed  two 
sides  of  a  square.  In  the  front  I  placed  the  field-piece, 
loaded  with  canister-shot.  I  intended  to  receive  Bedden 
with  due  honor  in  the  hollow  square,  thus  protected.  In 
the  event  of  treachery,  his  force  could  be  almost  annihi- 
lated by  one  discharge. 

"  The  hill  sentry  now  reported  the  arrival  of  a  messen- 
ger, who  waved  a  white  handkerchief  on  the  end  of  a  bam- 
boo. This  was  the  signal  agreed  upon,  and  the  messenger 
was  allowed  to  pass.  He  communicated  the  fact  of  Bedden 's 
approach ;  in  a  few  minutes  later  the  great  sheikh  arrived. 
He  was  very  tall  and  gaunt ;  and,  without  any  delay,  he 
and  his  people  were  ushered  into  the  hollow  square,  where 
they  all  stuck  their  lances  in  the  ground  and  sat  down. 

"  I  now  sent  for  Bedden  and  a  few  of  his  j)rincipal  men 
to  the  poop  deck  of  my  diahbeeah,  which  being  covered 
with  carpets,  and  arranged  w^ith  sofas  and  chairs,  was 
something  very  astonishing  to  the  great  sheikh,  who  had 
never  seen  anything  but  a  vessel  in  the  distance. 

"  I  now  explained  the  objects  of  the  expedition ;  at  the 
same  time  I  presented  him  with  a  long  Egyptian  blue  shirt 
that  reached  to  his  ankles  and  made  him  look  more  re- 
spectable. A  crimson  sash  round  his  waist,  and  a  red  tar- 
boosh (fez)  upon  his  head,  improved  his  appearance  won- 
derfully and  he  began  to  feel  at  home.  . 

"  I  presented  him  with  six  pounds  of  beads  of  various 
colors,  together  with  some  strings  of  harness  bells.  A  brass 
bugle  and  a  large  mirror  attracted  more  attention  than  any 


238  THE  WONDERFUL  PARROT. 

other  curiosities.     I  gave  liim  a  brass  bugle,  to  his  great 
delight. 

"  The  use  of  the  cannon  was  then  explained  to  him,  and 
the  effects  of  the  shell  were  pardonably  exaggerated  to  pro- 
duce a  respect  for  the  weapon. 

"  He  gave  us  six  pots  of  merissa  and  some  fowls,  prom- 
ising to  come  again  to-morrow. 

"  All  these  people  believe  in  sorcery,  and  each  sheikh 
possesses  spells  and  conjurors.  Tortoise  shells,  scales  of  the 
manis,  lion's  claws  and  those  of  the  leopard,  roots,  knots  of 
trees  of  peculiar  shape,  and  many  other  things,  are  worn 
as  talismans.  My  wife's  parrot  was  supposed  to  be  a  cajoor 
or  fetish.  This  was  the  gray  bird  of  West  Africa,  that  was 
unknown  in  these  parts.  The  interpreter  explained  that 
*it  could  speak  like  a  human  being,  and  that  it  flew  about 
the  country  and  listened  to  what  people  said — all  of  which 
it  reported  to  its  mistress  and  myself;  thus  we  knew  every- 
thing that  occurred,  and  the  natives  could  not  deceive  us.' 
This  parrot  was  exceedingly  tame  and  was  never  confined. 
It  was  now  walking  about  the  deck,  and  while  its  extraor- 
dinary powers  were  being  described  by  my  Bari  inter- 
preter, Morgian,  to  the  amazement  and  fear  of  the  natives, 
it  advanced  stoutly  to  the  sheikh  Bedden,  and  would  have 
bitten  his  big  toe  had  he  not  quickly  jumped  up  and  taken 
leave.  The  magnetic  battery  and  large  musical  box  were 
also  believed  to  be  magic. 

"At  sunset,  the  great  sheikh  departed  in  the  best  of 
spirits,  with  all  his  people,  as  he  had  drunk  a  tumbler  of 
marsala  before  he  started,  in  order  to  try  the  quality  of  our 
merissa. 

"  The  population  of  this  country  is  very  large,  and  the 
people  are  good  agriculturists.  Although  the  soil  is  stony, 
it  is  very  productive,  as  the  cultivation  is  carefully  attended 
to.     Dhurra,  sesame,  dochan  and  beans,  in  addition  to  a 


A   HERD   OF   ELEPHANTS.  239 

species  of  Hibiscus,  which  produces  an  edible  seed  and  also 
a  fine  fibre,  are  sown  in  exact  oblongs  or  squares,  resem- 
bling the  plots  in  allotment-grounds  in  England.  Near  the 
villages  are  large  heaps  of  manure,  collected  from  the  cattle 
*zarubas.'  These  are  mixed  with  the  sweepings  of  the 
stations,  and  the  ashes  from  the  cattle-fires,  and  are  divided, 
when  required,  among  the  proprietors  of  the  herds." 

ELEPHANT   HUNT. 

While  here,  Baker  examined  carefiilly  the  geological 
formation  of  the  country,  and  frequently  worked  for  gold 
in  the  most  likely  spots  in  the  deep  ravines,  but  he  found 
no  signs  of  gold  or  other  precious  metals. 

"On  13th  November,  at  sunrise,  Lieutenant  Saker 
started  with  the  troops  to  convey  corn  from  a  distant 
village.  I  was  sitting  on  the  poop  deck  of  the  diahbeeah, 
enjoying  a  pipe  and  a  cup  of  coifee,  when  he  suddenly 
galloped  back  with  the  news  that  a  herd  of  bull  elephants 
was  approaching  from  the  west.  I  was  not  prepared  for 
elephant-shooting,  and  I  recommended  him  to  return  to 
the  trooj)s,  who  Avould  otherwise  waste  their  time.  I  had 
no  suspicion  that  elephants  would  ai:)proacli  our  position 
after  having  been  disturbed  by  the  soldiers,  in  a  country 
that  was  perfectly  open. 

"  Lieutenant  Baker  cantered  back  to  his  men,  while  I 
commenced  to  write  up  my  journal  according  to  my  daily 
custom. 

"  In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  sentry  reported  a 
herd  of  elephants.  All  my  people  clambered  up  upon  the 
googoos  and  huts  to  obtain  a  good  view  of  the  herd,  which, 
from  the  high  poop  deck  of  the  diahbeeah,  we  could  see 
distinctly. 

"  There  were  eleven  bulls,  and  they  were  marching  in 


240  MAKING   PREPAEATIONS. 

close  order  along  the  bank  of  the  river,  approaching  us  at 
about  four  hundred  yards  distance. 

"  I  should  have  thought  it  almost  as  likely  to  meet  a 
herd  of  elephants  in  Hyde  Park,  as  to  find  them  in  this 
open  and  thickly-populated  country.  I  now  distinguished 
natives  along  the  distant  heights,  all  of  whom  were  at- 
tracted by  the  uncommon  occurrence.  In  the  meantime 
the  elephants  apj^roached,  swinging  their  trunks  and  huge 
ears  to  and  fro,  apparentl)-  unconscious  of  the  presence  of 
the  vessels  and  people. 

"  I  always  kept  my  guns  and  ammunition  in  beautiful 
order,  arranged  on  a  rack  in  the  cabin.  On  the  left  hand 
side  were  the  shot  guns,  i.  <?.,  two  breech-loading  No.  12 ; 
four  muzzle-loading  No.  10.  On  the  right  the  rifles ;  the 
little  *  Dutchman,'  two  breech-loading  Keilly  No.  8,  two 
muzzle-loading  Holland  half-pounders  that  carried  an  iron 
lead-coated  explosive  shell,  containing  a  bursting  charge  of 
half  an  ourice  of  fine  grain  powder.  These  two  elephant 
rifles  were  very  hard  hitters,  and  carried  twelve  drachms 
of  powder.  The  ammunition  for  the  rifles  was  on  a  shelf 
that  formed  the  rack,  contained  in  a  small  bag  with  a  sim- 
ple reload,  and  a  large  bag  with  a  considerable  supply. 
The  small  bag  was  intended  for  the  deck  should  I  call 
suddenly  for  a  rifle. 

"Seeing  that  the  elephants  were  so  near,  I  at  once 
ordered  my  horse,  '  Greedy  Gray,'  to  be  saddled  and  the 
rifles  and  ammunition  to  be  sent  after  me.  My  servant, 
Suleiman,  who  had  started  with  me  from  Alexandria,  was 
an  honest,  good  creature,  but  so  exceedingly  nervous  tliat 
he  was  physically  useless  in  any  sudden  emergency.  The 
climate  of  the  mashes  during  our  long  voyage  had  so 
affected  his  nervous  system,  that  any  alarm  or  start  would 
set  him  tremblino;  to  such  an  extent  that  his  teeth  chat- 
tered  as  though  he  had  been  bathing  in  iced  water.     How- 


ELEPHANTS  SURROUNDED.  243 

ever,  there  was  no  time  to  lose,  as  I  expected  that  should 
the  elephants  observe  our  vessels  and  the  troops  in  their 
scarlet  uniforms,  they  would  immediately  wheel  round  and 
be  off  at  the  pace  which  an  African  elephant  knows  so  well 
how  to  use. 

"  I  quickly  mounted  *  Greedy  Gray '  and  told  Suleiman 
to  send  on  my  rifles  directly  with  ammunition.  I  ordered 
my  men  to  run  up  the  heights  and  to  come  down  at  about  two 
hundred  paces  in  the  rear  of  the  elephants,  where  they 
were  to  form  a  line  as  though  in  skirmishing  order.  This 
line  of  red  shirts  would  most  probably  check  the  elephants 
from  rushing  back.  My  men  had  orders  to  fire  at  the 
elephants,  and  to  endeavor  to  turn  them  should  they  attempt 
to  retreat. 

"  I  was  now  on  *  Greedy  Gray ;'  the  sloping  ground  was 
as  clean  as  a  race  course,  I  therefore  galloped  up  the  slope 
so  as  to  keep  above  the  elephants.  The  horse  flew  along 
at  full  speed.  At  this  moment,  a  chorus  of  shouts  from 
great  numbers  of  natives  who  had  collected  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  river,  was  raised  in  admiration  of  the  white 
horse  which  they  probably  thought  would,  in  some  manner, 
seize  the  elephants. 

"  In  a  very  few  seconds,  I  reined  up  the  slope  about  a 
hundred  yards  above  the  herd,  which  had  now  halted  close 
to  the  river's  bank.  They  regarded  the  horse  with  some 
curiosity  and  massed  themselves  togethsr. 

"  In  the  meantime  my  *  Forty,'  who  were  capital  runners, 
were  moving  rapidly  along  the  heights,  and  they  presently 
came  down  and  formed  in  a  long  open  line  from  the  edge 
of  the  river  up  the  slope.  During  this  operation  the  ele- 
phants only  moved  their  ears  and  trunks,  but  remained  in 
the  same  position.  They  were  now  completely  surrounded ; 
the  diahbeeah  and  my  people  were  in  their  front,  I  was 
above  them  on  one  flank,  and  the  servants  were  coming  up 


244  TAKING   TO   WATER. 

with  the  rifles.  In  their  rear  was  a  line  of  about  twenty 
soldiers,  and  on  the  other  flank  was  the  deep  river,  about 
one  hundred  and  ten  yards  wide  from  the  mainland  to  the 
island. 

"  Just  as  the  rifles  were  in  a  few  yards  of  me,  and  I  was 
preparing  to  dismount,  the  elephants  wheeled  suddenly 
round  and  took  to  water.  They  had  been  standing  in  a 
low,  swampy  spot,  that  was  frequently  overflowed;  thus 
they  had  no  difiiculty  in  descending  to  the  river.  Close  to 
this  place  the  bank  was  perpendicular  and  as  hard  as  brick. 

"  I  ran  down  to  the  river,  but,  by  the  time  of  my  arrival, 
the  elephants  had  gained  the  opposite  bank ;  there,  how- 
ever, they  were  in  difiiculty.  The  water  was  deep,  and  the 
shore  of  the  island  was  perpendicular  and  about  six  feet 
above  the  water.  They  could  not  get  out  without  break- 
ing down  the  bank  so  as  to  form  an  incline.  Already 
these  enormous  creatures,  which  are  accustomed  to  such 
difiiculties,  were  tearing  down  the  earth  with  their  tusks 
and  horny-toed  feet ;  still  it  was  a  work  of  time,  that  gave 
me  a  good  opportunity. 

"  It  was  difficult  to  obtain  a  shot,  as  the  elephants  were 
end  on.  The  distance  was  about  one  hundred  and  ten 
yards,  which  is  very  uncertain  for  so  large  an  animal,  that 
must  be  struck  exactly  in  the  right  place.  I  fired  several 
shots  with  the  No.  8  breech-loader,  aimed  at  the  back  of 
their  heads,  but  none  of  these  were  successful. 

"Monsoor  had  the  ammunition  and  reloaded  for  me. 
The  stunning  effect  of  the  heavy  metal  confused  the  ani- 
mals and  caused  one  to  fall  backwards  into  the  scrambling 
herd.  This  turned  an  elephant  sideways.  The  bank  had 
already  given  way  and  fallen  in  large  masses  into  the  river 
which  reduced  its  depth.  The  elephants,  which  had  now 
gained  a  muddy  footing,  ploughed  and  tore  down  the  yield- 
ing earth  with  redoubled  vigor,  as  my  men  in  great  excite- 


AMMUNITION   EXHAUSTED.  245 

merit  opened  a  hot  fire  upon  them  with  Snider  rifles. 
These  had  about  as  much  eflfect  as  though  they  had  been 
peUed  with  stones. 

"Presently,  as  the  depth  was  lessened  by  the  falling 
bank,  the  elephants  showed  more  body  above  the  surface. 
The  splashing  and  scrambling  was  extraordinary ;  at 
length  a  large  bull  half  ascended  the  bank,  and  for  a 
moment  exposed  his  flank ;  I  fired  a  quick  right  and  left 
shot  with  a  Reilly  No.  8,  behind  his  shoulder,  and  he  fell 
backward  into  the  river,  where  he  commenced  a  series  of 
wdld  struggles  that  brought  him  within  twenty  yards  of 
me,  and  I  sent  a  ball  into  his  head  which  killed  him. 
The  powerful  stream  at  once  carried  away  the  floating 
carcass. 

"The  bank  had  now  completely  given  way,  and  an 
elephant  was  nearly  on  the  summit.  I  fired  at  him  with 
one  of  the  Holland  half-pounders,  which,  by  the  recoil, 
flew  out  of  my  hands  for  the  distance  of  several  yards ; 
this  was  loaded  with  twelve  drachms  of  fine-grain  powder. 
The  elephant  fell  on  his  knees  on  the  steep  incline,  and 
was  bogged  to  all  intents  and  purposes ;  but  believing  that 
I  had  plenty  of  ammunition  on  hand,  I  fired  another  half- 
pounder  into  his  shoulder,  which  killed  him  on  the  spot, 
and  he  rolled  into  the  water,  and  the  current  took  him 
away.  I  immediately  sent  a  man  to  order  boats,  with 
ropes  and  axes,  to  follow  the  carcasses. 

"  In  the  meantime,  I  fired  my  last  No.  8  into  the  shoulder 
of  an  elephant  that  had  just  climbed  the  bank  and  gained 
the  island.  I  now  had  a  glorious  opportunity  of  a  shoulder- 
shot  at  every  animal  as  it  should  ascend  the  steep  incline. 

"  My  ammunition  was  exhausted !  My  servant  Sulei- 
man had  sent  the  little  bag  that  contained  only  one  reload 
for  the  breech-loaders,  and  no  powder-flask  or  shells  for 
the  half-pounders.     I  had  now  the  annoyance  of  witnessing 


246  SHELLING   ELEPHANTS. 

the  difficult  ascent  of  the  elephants  in  single  file,  exposing 
their  flanks  in  succession  to  the  shoulder-shot,  while  1 
remained  a  helpless  looker-on. 

"  I  had  thus  bagged  only  two  out  of  eleven,  but  these 
were  killed  at  very  long  shots  (about  a  hundred  and  ten 
yards).  The  half-pounder  rifles  were  the  same  calibre  and 
pattern  as  that  described  in  '  The  Nile  Tributaries  of  Abys- 
sinia' as  'the  Baby.'  These  were  made  by  Mr.  Holland, 
of  Bond  Street,  and  are  the  most  overpowering  rifles  I  ever 
used.  They  were  certain  to  kill  the  elephant,  and  half- 
kill  the  man  who  fired  them  with  twelve  drachms  of  fine- 
grain  powder.  I  was  tolerably  strong,  therefore  I  was 
never  killed  outright ;  but  an  Arab  hunter  had  his  collar- 
bone smashed  by  the  recoil  when  the  weapon  was  loaded 
with  simple  coarse-grain  powder.  If  he  had  used  fine- 
grain,  I  should  hardly  have  insured  his  life. 

"The  elephants  having  gained  the  island,  remained 
some  time  exposed  before  they  made  up  their  minds  to 
cross  to  the  other  side.  Unfortunately,  the  boats  had 
followed  the  carcasses  of  the  elephants  down  the  river, 
which  were  two  miles  distant  before  they  could  be  secured ; 
therefore,  we  had  no  means  of  reaching  the  island.  Our 
vessels  could  not  have  crossed,  as  there  were  many  rocks 
below  stream.  I  therefore  took  a  few  shots  with  Hale's 
rockets,  one  of  which  just  grazed  the  rump  of  an  elephant, 
and  sent  them  off*  in  great  astonishment.  We  then  tried  a 
few  shots  with  the  field-piece,  but  the  gun  made  bad  prac- 
tice, and  the  shells  exploded  very  wildly,  and  not  accord- 
ing to  the  distances  regulated  by  the  fuses. 

"  The  specific  gravity  of  the  elephant  differs  consider- 
bly  from  that  of  the  hippopotamus.  The  latter  animal 
invariably  sinks  when  killed,  and  the  body  rises  to  the 
surface  in  about  two  hours,  when  the  gas  has  distended  the 
stomach.     The  body  of  an  elephant  floats  on  the  surface 


MORAL   EFFECTS   OF   THE   HUNT.  247 

immediately  that  it  is  killed,  and  is  capable  of  supporting 
one  or  more  persons.  The  cavity  of  the  carcass  is  much 
larger  in  the  elephant  than  in  the  hippopotamus — the 
latter  is  a  dense  mass  of  flesh,  covered  by  an  exceedingly 
thick  and  heavy  skin,  the  specific  gravity  of  which  is  con- 
siderably greater  than  water." 

The  moral  effects  of  this  elephant  hunt  were  wonderful. 
The  sound  of  the  cannon  had  brought  in  the  natives  from 
far  and  near,  and  they  gazed  with  astonishment  on  the 
carcasses  of  the  two  dead  elephants.  Their  hostility  was 
at  once  changed  into  friendship,  and  on  the  following 
morning  Baker  held  a  levee  on  board  his  boat,  at  which 
twenty  chiefs  came  to  him  for  peace.  He  gave  them 
presents,  and  they  said  the  taking  of  their  corn  was  of  no 
account. 

In  their  conversation  they  told  him  that  elephants 
were  seldom  seen  in  that  region,  and  that  they  did  not 
understand  killing  them,  and  concluded  by  asking  for 
some  of  their  meat.  Permission  being  given,  they  went  off 
in  the  direction  where  the  carcasses  lay,- and  soon  there 
was  a  general  scramble  for  the  precious  morsels.  This 
seemed  strange,  as  they  had  cattle  enough.  But  Baker 
said  "  the  African  negroes  are  an  incomprehensible  people, 
and  they  cannot  be  judged  by  the  ordinary  rules  of  human 
nature." 

Each  division  of  the  district  in  succession  followed  each 
other's  example  in  desiring  peace,  and  on  the  19th  of  No- 
vember he  returned  to  Gondokoro,  highly  satisfied  with  the 
results  of  the  campaign,  and  he  now  began  to  prepare, 
feeble  as  his  force  was,  to  push  into  the  interior  toward  the 
equator.  In  the  meantime  the  elephants  became  quite 
thick  around  Gondokoro,  and  one  night  two  immense  bull 
elephants  walked  coolly  past  the  sentries  into  the  very 
centre  of  the  fort,  and  a  scene  of  the  wildest  confusion 


248  AN  elephant's  strength. 

followed.  The  garrison  was  aroused,  and  for  a  time  it  was 
a  random  discharge  of  firearms  on  the  one  side,  and  a  wild, 
frantic  charge  of  elephants  on  the  other.  They  finally 
escaped  by  the  way  they  came  in.  But  Baker  had  no  time 
to  hunt,  as  he  was  busy  in  preparing  for  his  march  south- 
ward. It  seems  the  elephants,  at  this  time  of  the  year,  are 
attracted  toward  the  place  by  the  ripe  lalobes.  The  trees, 
if  of  medium  size,  are  frequently  torn  down  for  the  sake 
of  this  small  production,  that  would  appear  too  insignificant 
for  the  notice  of  so  huge  an  animal. 

"  I  once,"  he  says,  "had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  an 
exhibition  of  an  elej^hant's  strength  exerted  in  his  search  for 
this  small  fruit.  I  was  in  the  Shir  country,  and,  one  evening, 
accompanied  by  Lieutenant  Baker,  I  strolled  into  the 
forest,  about  half  a  mile  from  our  vessels,  to  watc]i  for 
water-buck  {Redunca  JEllipsiprymna)  in  a  small  glade, 
where  I  had  shot  one  the  previous  evening. 

"  We  had  not  long  been  concealed  when  I  heard  a  pecu- 
liar noise  in  the  thick  forest,  which  denoted  the  approach 
of  elephants.  We  at  once  retreated  to  some  rising  ground 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  paces  distant,  as  our  small 
rifles  would  have  been  useless  against  such  heavy  game. 
In  a  short  time,  several  elephants  appeared  from  different 
portions  of  the  covert,  and  one  of  extraordinary  size  moved 
slowly  toward  us,  until  lie  halted  beneath  a  tall,  spreading 
heglik.  This  tree  must  have  been  nearly  three  feet  in 
diameter,  and  was  about  thirty  feet  high  from  the  ground 
to  the  first  branch ;  it  was,  therefore,  impossible  for  the 
elepliant  to  gather  the  coveted  fruit.  To  root  up  such  a 
tree  would  have  been  out  of  the  question.  The  elepliant 
paused  for  a  short  time  as  though  considering;  he  then 
butted  his  forehead  suddenly  against  the  trunk.  I  could 
not  have  believed  the  effect:  this  large  tree,  which  was 
equal  in  appearance  to   the  average  size  of  park-limber, 


ADVENTURE   WITH   A  HIPPOPOTAMUS.  251 

quivered  in  every  branch  to  such  a  degree,  that  had  a  per- 
son taken  refuge  from  an  elephant,  and  thought  himself 
secure  in  the  top,  he  would  have  found  it  difficult  to  hold 
on. 

"  When  the  lalobes  fall,  they  must  be  picked  up  indi- 
vidually, and  though  the  trouble  appears  disproportioned 
to  the  value  of  the  fruit,  there  is  no  fruit  so  much  coveted 
by  elephants. 

"  Near  this  spot,  on  the  following  day,  I  had  a  close  ad- 
venture with  a  hippopotamus.  I  had  gone  to  the  same 
place  where  I  had  seen  the  elephants,  and  as  I  was  return- 
ing through  the  forest  within  a  few  rods  of  the  river 
margin,  when,  upon  suddenly  turning  round  a  dense  thorn 
bush,  I  came  within  four  or  five  paces  of  a  large  bull  hip- 
popotamus. This  animal  had  left  the  river  for  an  evening 
ramble  on  the  shore,  and  was  munching  some  succulent 
grass  with  such  gusto  that  he  had  not  heard  my  approach. 
Unfortunately,  I  had  come  upon  him  exactly  at  right 
angles,  which  restricted  my  shot  to  the  temple.  This  is 
the  most  difficult  of  penetration  in  the  hippopotamus.  I 
only  had  the  *  Dutchman,'  and  my  attendant,  Moonsoor, 
carried  a  Snider  rifle ;  thus  we  were  badly  armed  for  so 
impenetrable  a  beast.  I  fired  just  in  front  of  his  ear,  cer- 
tainly within  fifteen  feet.  The  only  effect  produced  was  a 
shake  of  his  head,  and  he  appeared  rather  stupid,  as 
though  stunned.  The  left  hand  barrel  followed  quickly 
upon  the  right;  Monsoor  fired  with  his  Snider.  The 
'  Dutchman '  being  a  breech-loader,  was  ready  again,  and 
we  fired  into  this  stupid-looking  brute  as  though  he  had 
been  a  target,  and  with  about  the  same  effect. 

"  Suddenly,  as  though  we  had  just  awakened  him,  he 
turned  round  and  bolted  into  a  dense  mass  of  thorns  about 
thirty  paces  from  us. 

"  In  the  meantime,  the  troops  at  the  vessels,  that  were 


252        THE  "forty  thieves"  to  the  rescue. 

■within  three  hundred  paces,  having  heard  the  rapid  and 
continued  firing  supposed  I  had  been  attacked  by  the 
natives.  The  'Forty  Thieves'  rushed  to  the  rescue.  I 
heard  the  bugle,  and  presently  the  voices  of  the  men,  as 
they  approached,  running  at  full  speed.  The  hippopotamus 
had  moved  from  his  thorny  retreat,  and  was  moving  slowly 
forward,  when  he  was  stumbled  against  by  'the  Forty,* 
some  of  whom  literally  ran  against  him.  The  animal  ap- 
peared quite  stunned  and  stupid,  and  he  merely  stood  and 
stared  at  his  new  assailants.  The  sight  was  perfectly 
ridiculous.  Every  rifle  was  fired  into  him,  but  the  hollow 
bullets  of  the  Sniders  had  no  penetration,  and  we  might  as 
well  have  peppered  the  stone  bulls  of  Nineveh  in  the 
British  Museum.  At  length,  having  been  the  centre  of  a 
blaze  of  fire- work,  as  every  man  did  his  best  to  kill  him, 
during  a  space  of  about  a  minute,  he  coolly  approached  the 
edge  of  the  cliff,  which  was  quite  perpendicular  and  about 
eighteen  feet  high.  A  tremendous  splash  was  the  end  of 
the  encounter,  as  the  hippo  committed  himself  to  the  deep, 
with  a  clumsy  jump  from  the  midst  of  the  disappointed 
soldiers." 

Everything  was  now  in  order  in  Gondokoro — peace 
reigned  throughout  the  district,  food  was  abundant  and  tlie 
station  strongly  fortified,  and  Baker  was  ready  to  start 
south.  He  determined  to  carry  a  steamer  in  sections  to 
north  latitude  3°  32',  and  there  put  it  together  and  launch 
it  on  the  Albert  Nyanza. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  DETERMINATION  TO  ADVANCE— A  DESPERATE  K)SITION— SOLDIERS  DRAW  THE  CARTS  TO 
tABORE— A  BEAUTIFUL  COUNTRY— THE  FUTURE  CAPITAL  OP  AFRICA— REACHES  FATIKO — 
POWER  OF  MUSIC  OVER  THE  NATIVES— GROTESQUE  DANCIXO  OF  NAKED  WOMEN— STARTS  FOR 
UNYORO— BEAUTIFUL  COUNTRY  DEPOPULATED— PROCLAIMS  PEACE— LIVINGSTONE. 

MR.  BAKER,  in  this  determination  to  proceed  at  all 
hazards  and  finish  the  work  assigned  him,  showed 
his  true  Saxon  pluck ;  while  his  wife,  notwithstanding  all 
she  had  endured  and  suffered,  and  the  still  greater  trials 
awaiting  her,  persisting  in  accompanying  him  to  the  end, 
whatever  that  end  should  he,  exhibited  a  spirit,  if  possible, 
still  braver  and  more  worthy  of  admiration.  Selecting 
carefully  those  to  compose  his  force  on  whom  he  could 
rely  in  the  last  extremity,  he  prepared  to  set  out  on  his 
hazardous  enterprise.  Major  Abdullah,  who  had  served  in 
Mexico  under  Marshal  Bazaine  in  that  unhappy  invasion 
of  Maximilian,  formed  with  six  boys  the  domestic  corps. 
Sending  off  a  hundred  and  fifty  men  to  drive  several  thou- 
sand cattle  and  sheep  to  a  well-known  rocky  ravine  some 
six  miles  in  advance,  he  started  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning  of  the  22d  of  January,  1871,  to  complete  his 
annexation  of  this  vast  tropical  region  to  Egypt,  and  open 
commerce  with  it  through  the  Nile  to  Europe.  These 
same  two  hundred  men  set  out  in  high  spirits,  and  on  the 
27th  arrived  with  the  vessels  at  tlie  foot  of  the  cataracts, 
4°  38'  north  latitude.  His  old  friend  Bedden,  a  native 
chief  whom  he  had  known  in  his  former  explorations  in 
Africa,  met  Baker  here,  but  seemed  to  treat  him  coldly ; 

253 


254  'attempt  to  stampede. 

and  when  the  latter  said  he  wanted  to  hire  two  hundred 
carriers,  left  him  in  such  a  suspicious  manner  that  he  was 
sure  he  should  never  see  him  again.  He  was  right ;  and 
hence  felt  that  his  position  was  becoming  desperate. 
Without"  carriers  he  was  helpless.  With  cattle  and  sheep 
together  he  had  over  four  thousand  head,  which  he  saw 
was  a  great  temptation  to  these  unprincipled  savages ;  and 
the  first  thought  when  night  came  on  was  to  secure  them. 
He  knew  they  would  think  it  a  far  better  speculation  to 
get  his  cattle  than  to  carry  his  baggage.  He  was  not  mis- 
taken ;  that  night  a  stampede  was  attempted,  but,  thanks 
to  his  precaution,  failed.  In  order  to  clear  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  thieves,  he  set  off  a  number  of  rockets,  which 
soon  sent  them  scampering  in  every  direction. 

He  now  was  compelled  to  change  his  plans ;  and,  as  the 
steamer  could  go  no  farther  with  his  load,  he  determined 
to  push  on  to  Lahore,  sixty  miles  distant,  if  the  soldiers 
would  draw  the  carts.  There  he  knew  he  could  obtain 
carriers  and  continue  his  march,  and  fulfill  his  mission  to 
establish  the  khedive's  authority  in  that  region  and  sup- 
press the  slave  trade. 

After  some  objections  and  complaints  by  the  soldiers, 
they  agreed  to  take  the  places  of  the  carriers  and  move  on. 
Before  the  carts  were  all  loaded  and  they  were  ready  to 
start,  an  old  man  seventy  or  eighty  years  of  age,  paid  him 
a  visit,  and  Baker,  from  the  numerous  spells  hung  about 
his  person,  concluded  he  was  a  "  rain-maker."  His  face 
was  smeared  with  wood  ashes  to  give  liim  as  demoniacal 
an  appearance  as  possible.  Baker  gave  him  a  glass  of 
Marsala  wine  and  a  blue  shirt,  as  he  wished  to  make  friends 
with  him,  because  the  natives  hold  these  rain-makers  in 
respect.  He  kept  giving  the  old  toper  wine  till  his  heart 
was  enlarged  and  he  was  ready  to  converse.  He  said  that 
knew  the  country  well  and  would  act  as  guide  to  Lahore 


•  A   EAIN-MAKEE.  255 

for  the  small  consideration  of  a  cow,  saying  that  if  he  was 
with  him,  the  natives  on  the  way  would  treat  him  with 
civility.  Baker  asked  him  if  he  could  keep  the  rain  away 
during  the  journey.  He  immediately  blew  his  rain  whistle, 
which  he  carried  suspended  to  his  neck,  and  looked  as 
much  as  to  say  what  do  you  think  of  that  ?  Baker  sent 
for  a  German  horn,  which  was  a  polished  cow's  horn  with 
a  brass  mouth-piece,  and  presented  it  to  him.  The  wine 
had  made  the  old  conjurer  mellow,  and  he  was  profuse  in 
his  gratitude,  and  kept  blowing  the  horn  and  grinned  till 
the  tears  ran  down  his  cheeks.  He  then  suspended  it 
round  his  neck  and  said  proudly,  "I  am  now  a  great 
sheikh ;  there  is  no  rain-maker  so  great  as  I ;  you  will 
travel  Avith  me  and  this  horn  shall  keep  you  dry:  Don't 
trouble  yourself  about  the  Baris,  they  won't  molest  you,  but 
travel  as  soon  as  you  can." 

A  valuable  ally  had  been  gained.  At  3  P.  M.,  February 
8th,  they  set  out,  old  Lokko,  the  rain-maker,  showing  the 
way  and  waving  a  couple  of  thin-peeled  sticks  at  a  black 
cloud  in  the  sky  and  blowing  his  horn  frantically.  The 
black  cloud  soon  melted  in  the  clear  air.  He  had 
evidently  conquered,  and  so  gave  his  face  an  extra  coat  of 
wood  ashes  to  make  himself  still  more  hideous. 

Baker's  wife  rode  "  Greedy  Gray  "  with  as  much  baggage 
as  could  be  hung  on  the  saddle,  while  he  himself  rode  a 
powerful  chastnut.  Lieutenant  Baker  rode  a  light  chest- 
nut and  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  an  Arab  steed,  while  ten 
donkeys  carried  ammunition,  flour,  etc.  Mr.  Baker,  with 
his  wife  and  the  lieutenant,  headed  the  procession,  followed 
by  old  Lokko.  Behind  him  marched  the  "  Forty  Thieves," 
while  two  Egyptian  officers  led  the  rear  guard,  driving 
one  thousand  cows  and  five  hundred  sheep,  which  swelled 
the  little  caravan  into  immense  proportions  and  filled  the 
air  with  their  lowing  and  bleating.     All  the  boys  and  girls 


256  A   DANGEROUS   SHELL 

carried  loads,  and  the  best  of  spirits  prevailed.  After  a 
marcli  of  three  miles,  they  halted  in  a  little  village,  from 
which,  at  their  approach,  the  inhabitants  fled. 

Saving  his  flour  for  an  emergency,  Baker  ordered  the 
troops  to  eat  that  which  was  in  the  village.  Kext  morn- 
ing, on  leaving,  he  tied  up  two  cows  as  payment  for  it, 
which  were  worth  fifty  times  as  much  as  the  flour,  but  he 
"wished  to  show  the  inhabitants  that  he  had  no  intention  of 
wronging  them.  The  next  morning,  he  started  at  half 
past  five,  and,  after  marching  for  two  hours  and  a  half 
through  a  beautiful,  undulating  country,  came  to  a  little 
village  where,  the  people  being  well  acquainted  with  Lokko, 
received  him  kindly,  and  where  he  hired  five  natives  to 
help  carry  his  loads.  At  night,  having  made  twelve  miles, 
they  stoj^ped  at  a  small  village,  where  the  natives  brought 
him,  as  a  great  curiosity,  a  shell  that  Baker  had  fired  at  the 
Baris  and  which  they  had  sold  to  these  villagers  for  old 
iron.  He  inquired  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  it. 
"Oh,"  they  said,  "hammer  it  into  hoes."  It  had  never 
exploded,  and  he  told  them  if  they  put  it  on  the  fire  it 
would  burst  and  tear  them  to  pieces.  They  made  no  reply, 
but  carried  away  the  shell,  and  it  is  not  known  whether 
they  ever  tried  the  experiment. 

The  next  day,  they  again  took  up  the  line  of  march,  the 
country  being  even  more  beautiful  and  charming  than  the 
day  before.  That  night  they  slept  at  a  village  named 
Marengo.  The  next  day,  old  Lokko  seemed  at  fault  about 
the  direct  road  to  Lahore,  and  Baker  hired  two  natives  as 
guides.  The  following  day  they  marched  fourteen  miles, 
straight  to  the  place,  and  halted  beneath  a  tree  to  wait  for 
the  immense  herds  to  come  up.  He  was  now  out  of  the 
country  of  the  Bari.  The  following  day  he  held  a  regular 
market,  trading  off  cattle  for  flour.  The  next  day,  the 
whole  country  turned  out  to  hunt,  and  the  natives  returned 
in  the  evening  with  two  bufialoes  and  a  few  small  antelope. 


A  NIGHT   ATTACK.  257 

On  the  24tli  of  February,  all  the  troops  commanded  by 
Major  Abdullah  arrived,  and  reported  that  after  Mr. 
Baker's  departure  the  Baris  had  attacked  him  and  tried  to 
burn  the  vessels.  On  the  night  of  the  17th,  when  Baker 
and  his  party  were  quietly  sleeping  at  Moogoo,  the  troops 
left  behind  with  the  vessels  were  suddenly  attacked,  the 
sentries  being  nearly  all  asleep.  The  one  cannon,  on  which 
they  depended  so  much,  was  loaded  with  shell  instead  of 
canister,  while  the  artillery-men  were  fast  asleep  beside  it. 
The  spies  of  the  Baris  having  ascertained  the  state  of  things 
came  suddenly  upon  them.  If  one  or  two  of  the  cattle 
sentries  had  not  been  awake  the  whole  force  would  have 
been  massacred.  As  they  approached  the  silent  camp,  they 
gave  a  succession  of  terrific  yells  and  shrieks  and  rushed 
forward  in  a  mass.  Fortunately  a  row  of  thorn  branches 
had  been  laid  about  sixty  feet  from  the  camp,  which  caused 
a  momentary  confusion,  during  which  the  cattle  sentries 
fired  off  their  muskets.  The  cattle  guard  of  sixty  men  in- 
stantly jumped  to  their  feet  and  poured  in  a  volley  on  the 
dark  mass  of  warriors  that  had  been  momentarily  stopped 
by  the  thorn-bushes.  This  gave  time  for  the  camp  to 
arouse  and  fire  the  cannon  which,  at  that  point-blank 
range,  loaded  with  canister,  would  have  jDloughed  a  lane 
through  the  crowded  mass  of  naked  warriors  and  scat- 
tered them  in  every  direction.  But  the  gunners  fled  as  the 
appalling  yells  burst  on  their  ears.  One  brave  fellow,  how- 
ever, stood  by  the  gun  and  pulled  the  lanyard ;  it  missed 
fire,  and  he  was  immediately  transfixed  with  spears  and  the 
gun  captured.  The  savages  now  made  for  the  vessels,  with 
fire-brands  in  their  hands.  But  the  frightened  troops  had 
taken  refuge  here  and,  being  driven  into  a  corner,  showed 
fightand  poured  rapid  volleys  into  the  yelling,  excited  crowd, 
and  they  were  forced  back  and  the  gun  recaptured. 
Another  tube  was  now  found  and  fitted,  and  the  lanyard 


258  A   GRAND   DANCE. 

again  pulled.  Again  the  tube  missed  fire.  Another  was 
brought  and  fitted,  and  this  time  the  gun  spoke  with  a  roar 
that  drove  the  assailants  back  and  finally  put  them  to 
flight.  The  next  morning,  however,  the  big  drums  of  the 
natives  were  heard,  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  thou- 
sands of  savages  were  congregated  on  the  neighboring 
heights,  and  a  general  attack  was  expected.  But  they 
thought  better  of  it,  and  the  troops  reached  Lahore  and 
joined  Baker. 

The  latter  was  now  reaay  to  move  forward.  He  en- 
gaged five  hundred  natives  to  accompany  him — ^they  to 
select  the  cows  to  be  given  in  payment  for  their  services 
beforehand.  This  was  a  tedious  job,  for  they  were  very 
particular ;  but  the  five  hundred  cows  were  at  last  selected 
and  driven  out,  and  everything  was  ready  for  a  start,  when 
a  soldier  deserted.  The  natives  found  him,  but  dared  not 
arrest  him,  as  he  threatened  to  shoot  them.  Baker  then 
sent  out  a  sergeant,  with  three  men  of  the  "  Forty,"  who 
soon  brought  him  back,  when  he  was  put  in  irons. 

Before  he  started  the  natives  had  a  grand  dance — 
the  men  and  women,  stark  naked,  leaping,  and  yelling  wild 
songs,  and  beating  two  sticks  of  wood  together.  Baker 
says  "some  of  the  girls  were  pretty,  but  being  smeared 
with  red  ochre  and  fat,  were  not  attractive."  At  least  a 
thousand  were  present. 

On  the  29th  of  February,  Baker  ordered  the  reveille  to 
be  beaten,  when,  to  his  surprise,  only  four  hundred  and 
thirty-three  of  the  five  hundred  carriers  engaged  presented 
themselves — sixty-seven  having  absconded  with  their  cows, 
nor  could  they  be  found,  and  he  was  compelled  to  start 
without  them.  There  was  considerable  quarreling  about 
the  choice  of  parcels  to  be  carried,  especially  the  zinc  boat 
of  Mr.  Baker's,  weighing  three  hundred  and  sixty  pounds. 
But  everything  was  finally  arranged,  and  at  half-past  three 


'CAEAVAN  IN   MOTION.  259 

the  caravan  was  put  in  motion,  and  Baker,  with  five 
picked  men,  pushed  on  at  the  rate  of  four  miles  an  hour, 
leaving  the  rest  far  behind.  They  halted  at  six  o'clock  in 
a  rocky  ravine,  where  they  expected  to  find  water,  but  were 
disappointed,  and  compelled  to  dig  wells  in  the  sand.  At 
half-past  seven  the  troops,  and  baggage,  and  cattle  arrived 
by  torchlight. 

The  next  morning,  March  1st,  there  was  a  frightful 
scramble  among  the  carriers  over  the  packages  they  were 
to  carry.  Through  a  fine  country  of  hills  and  forests  they 
now  marched  for  sixteen  miles,  but  villages  and  large 
tracts  of  land,  which  had  formerly  been  under  cultivation, 
were  now  desolate,  having  been  ravaged  by  the  ruthless 
slave-hunter.  This  day  Baker  killed  an  antelope  that 
would  weigh  over  four  hundred  pounds.  This  day,  as  from 
an  elevation  he  saw  the  White  Nile  flowing  on  in  a  calm, 
deep  stream  from  the  Albert  Nyanza,  far  above  all  the 
cataracts,  he  felt  sorely  disappointed,  that,  owing  to  the 
peculiar  obstructions  in  the  AVliite  Nile,  he  had  not  been 
able  to  bring  his  steamers  to  this  point,  and  launch  them 
permanently  on  the  Albert  Nyanza. 

He  now  descended  into  a  beautiful  plain,  to  which  he 
gave  the  name  Ibrahimmeyah,  in  honor  of  the  khedive's 
father.  "  This  point,"  he  says,  "  is  destined  to  become  the 
capital  of  Central  Africa."  It  will  be  the  general  depot 
for  steamers  when  the  trade  of  this  vast  region  is  developed 
by  steamers  on  the  Albert  Nyanza.  He  adds :  "  It  is  a 
curious  fact,  that  a  short  line  of  a  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  of  railway  would  open  up  the  very  heart  of  Africa 
to  steam-transj)ort  between  the  Mediterranean  and  the 
equator,  when  the  line  to  Khartoum  is  completed."  The 
country  was  lovely  and  full  of  game,  and  he  "  reveled  " 
in  it. 

On  the  3d  of  February,  he  again  started  for  Fatiko, 


260  THE   SLAVE-STATION. 

which  he  reached  in  three  days.  He  had  been  here  years 
before.  As  he  now  approached  it,  he  passed  through  a 
country  fit  for  a  jDaradise.  The  line  of  march  was  as 
follows:  Mr.  Baker,  his  wife  and  Lieutenant  Baker  on 
horseback  in  advance,  preceded  by  five  of  the  body-guard 
of  the  "  Forty  Thieves."  Next  came  the  remaining  por- 
tion of  the  guard,  commanded  by  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader ; 
after  which  followed  the  regiment  in  single  file,  succeeded 
by  the  four  hundred  carriers  with  the  baggage — the  herd 
of  cattle  bringing  up  the  long,  imposing  procession.  The 
sky  was  clear,  the  air  in  this  high  region  cool  and  balmy, 
the  scenery  enchanting,  which  caused  every  heart  to  bound 
with  joy ;  while  Baker  was  exhilarated  with  the  fact  that 
he  had  reached  the  hot-bed  of  the  slave-trader,  and  came 
as  a  deliverer  to  the  down-trodden  inhabitants.  The  long 
caravan  suddenly  ajDpeared  on  a  green  plateau  that  over- 
looked Fatiko  about  a  mile  distant,  their  presence  being 
announced  by  the  sound  of  bugles  and  the  beat  of  drums. 
The  inhabitants  streamed  out  of  their  houses  at  the  un- 
wonted sound,  and  gazed  at  the  long  procession  winding 
down  to  the  notes  of  the  bugle,  as  if  it  were  an  apparition. 
Baker,  in  the  meantime,  dismounted,  and,  taking  out  his 
glass,  scanned  carefully  the  slave-station  of  his  arch-enemy, 
Abou  Saood,  below,  covering  thirty  acres.  It  was  in  wild 
confusion  and  alarm,  and  he  heard  the  slaver's  drum  beat, 
and  saw  slaves  driven  away  in  great  haste. 

Baker  and  his  wife  had  been  here  before  as  travelers, 
and  were  at  once  recognized  ;  but  his  present  appearance, 
with  a  disciplined  force  of  over  two  hundred  men,  was  a 
new  sight  to  Central  Africa.  He  was  hailed,  however,  on 
all  sides  as  a  deliverer.  Abou  Saood  was  taken  completely 
aback.  After  he  had  secretly  aroused  the  Baris  to  hos- 
tility at  Gondokoro,  he  had  come  hither  with  seventy  of 
them  as  retainers,  and  reported  that  the  great  expedition 


A   REVIEW   OF   baker's  TROOPS.  261 

liad  failed,  and  was,  therefore,  lording  it  in  his  own  way. 
With  his  old  cunning,  he  professed  great  friendship  for 
Baker  and  his  policy.  The  latter,  though  knowing  his 
duplicity,  did  not  dare  at  this  moment  to  liberate  the  thou- 
sand or  more  slaves  he  had  at  different  stations,  but  set 
about  his  great  work  methodically  and  earnestly.  He 
says  of  the  men  of  this  region,  that  they  are  the  best- 
proportioned  that  he  has  hitherto  seen — muscular,  well- 
knit  and  handsome.  The  women  were  short,  a?nd  it  was  a 
little  singular  that  the  usual  custom  among  savage  tribes 
was  here  reversed — the  women  going  entirely  naked,  while 
the  men  were  partially  clothed  with  the  skin  of  an  antelope, 
thrown  over  the  shoulder  like  a  scarf. 

Baker  now  dispatched  two  faithful  men,  Gimoro  and 
Shoole,  to  go  throughout  the  country  and  inform  the  head 
men  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  his  intentions,  and  that  the 
atrocities  committed  by  Abou  Saood  and  his  slave-hunters 
were  at  an  end,  and  that  in  twenty  days  the  latter  would 
have  to  take  all  his  people  out  of  the  country.  The  news 
they  carried  filled  the  inhabitants  with  joy ;  for,  once  rid 
of  these  banditti,  the  deserted  villages  would  be  repopu- 
lated  and  the  neglected  fields  retilled. 

After  their  departure,  he  had  a  long  conversation  with 
an  old  servant  of  his  in  his  former  explorations,  who  gave 
him  a  detailed  account  of  the  acts  of  Abou  Saood  and  his 
brigands  for  the  last  few  years.  It  was  a  history  of  mas- 
sacres and  cruelty. 

One  day  he  reviewed  his  troops,  a  display  that  filled  the 
natives  with  astonishment.  The  music  of  the  band,  which 
was  composed  of  several  bugles,  drums  and  cymbals,  to- 
gether with  a  big  bass-drum,  drove  them  into  ecstasies. 
They  are  passionately  fond  of  music,  and  Baker  says  that 
he  believes  that  a  London  organ-grinder  could  march 
through  Central  Africa  unguarded — followed  the  whole 


262  AN   EXTKAORDINARY   DANCE. 

way  by  an  admiring  and  enthusiastic  crowd,  and  adds: 
"  As  my  troops  returned  to  their  quarters,  with  the  band 
playing  rather  cheerful  airs,  we  observed  the  women  racing 
down  from  their  villages  and  gathering  from  all  directions 
toward  the  common  centre.  As  they  approached  nearer, 
the  charms  of  music  were  overpowering,  and  halting  for 
an  instant,  they  assumed  what  they  considered  the  most 
graceful  attitudes,  and  then  danced  up  to  the  band.  In  a 
short  time  my  buglers  could  hardly  blow  their  instruments 
for  laughing  at  the  extraordinary  effect  of  their  perform- 
ances. The  women  throughout  the  Shooli  are  entirely 
naked,  and  the  effect  of  naked  women  bounding  about  as 
musical  enthusiasts  was  very  extraordinary.  Even  the 
babies  were  brought  out  to  dance,  and  strapped  to  their 
mothers'  backs,  and  covered  with  pumpkin-shells,  like 
tortoises,  were  jolted  about  without  the  slightest  considera- 
tion for  the  weakness  of  their  necks,  by  their  infatuated 
mothers.  The  men,  squatted  on  the  rocks,  looked  on  in 
admiration.  AVe  stayed  in  this  *  paradise  of  Africa '  nearly 
two  weeks,  talking  with  the  chiefs  and  putting  things  in 
order." 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

MARCH    TO    UNYORO. 

THE  STAET— EXODTTS  OF  THE  WHITE  ANTS— A  GREAT  LUXURY— A  BEAUTIFUL  COUNTRY— MASINDT— 
KING  ABBA  EEGa— HIS  M'ALK  AND  APPEARANCE— THE  INTERVIEW— BUFFOONS— QUEER  RESULT 
OF  A  LECTURE  ON  THE  SLAVE  TRADE— A  STATION  COMMENCED— PLANTING  VEGETABLES— THE 
king's  VISIT— MAGNETIC  BATTERY— PHOTOGRAPHS— A  CURIOUS  INTERVIEW— FORMAL  ANNEXA- 
TION OF  THE  COUNTRY— SENDS  OFF  A  PART  OF  HIS  FORCE— COMMERCE  ESTABLISHED — 
VEGETABLES  PLANTED— DARK  OMENS— A  DRUNKEN  KING — ASKS  AFTER  LIVINGSTONE— A  FORT 
BUILT. 

ABOU-EL  SAOOD  having  sworn  by  the  head  of  Ma- 
homet to  do  all  that  was  right,  Baker  gave  his  instruc- 
tions to  Major  Abdullah,  who  was  to  be  left  with  one  hun- 
dred men  in  the  place,  and,  on  the  18th  of  March,  started  for 
Unyoro,  seventy-eight  miles  south  across  an  uninhabited 
prairie,  nothing  occurring  to  break  the  monotony  of  the 
march  except  the  stalking  now  and  then  of  an  antelope  by 
Baker.  On  the  23d,  they  came  opposite  the  last  station  of 
Abou  Saood,  commanded  by  a  man  named  Suleiman,  who, 
two  days  after,  summoned  his  men  to  volunteer  for  the  gov- 
ernment as  irregular  troops.  On  the  28th,  Baker  received 
a  visit  from  the  great  sheikh,  Lokara,  who  was  commander- 
in-chief  of  Abba  Eega's  army,  encamped  a  few  hours* 
march  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  ready  to  attack  King 
Bionga,  who  was  settled  on  an  island  in  the  river,  farther 
up.  He  came  to  ask  his  aid  in  his  war  against  Rionga, 
which  the  latter  refused  to  give.  While  here  he  witnessed 
an  exodus  of  young  white  ants  from  the  mound  in  which 
they  had  been  hatched  out.  Millions  of  these  large,  fat 
and  winged  insects  began  to  struggle  out  and  prepare  for 

265 


266  EXODUS  OF  WHITE  ANTS. 

their  first  short  flight,  and  were  quickly  caught  by  the  men 
with  lighted  wisps  of  straw.  The  annual  exodus  of  these 
ants  takes  place  at  the  commencement  of  the  rainy  season, 
and  the  gathering  of  them  before  they  can  fly  is  an  im- 
portant harvest  in  Central  Africa.  They  are  considered 
a  great  delicacy  when  fried  in  a  little  butter.  Baker, 
although  now  started  on  his  journey  still  farther  south, 
toward  the  equator,  would  have  stopped  had  he  known  how 
Abou  Saood,  at  Fatiko,  was  plotting  against  him.  Igno- 
rant of  this  he  kept  on  and  traveled  through  a  beautiful 
country,  but,  as  everywhere  else,  desolated  by  the  slave- 
traders.  Though  his  carriers  deserted  him,  he  pushed 
resolutely  on  and,  April  20th,  from  a  hill  sighted  the  Al- 
bert Nyanza  Lake,  only  twenty  miles  distant. 

At  last  he  arrived  at  Masindi,  the  capital  of  Unyoro. 
The  town  is  large,  composed  of  a  thousand  or  more  straw 
huts,  shaped  like  a  bee-hive  and  scattered  around  as  if  they 
had  been  dropped  from  the  clouds  at  random.  The  next 
day,  he  visited  the  king,  Abba  Rega,  ofiicially.  The  king 
w^as  about  twenty  years  old  and  dressed  very  neatly  in 
bark-cloth.  Baker  explained  to  him,  at  length,  the  inten- 
tions of  the  khedive,  and  that  he  hoped  the  country,  once 
freed  from  the  slave-traders,  would  be  prosperous  and 
happy.  He  told  him,  moreover,  that  he  had  not  released 
all  the  slaves  that  he  had  found  at  the  different  stations 
because  he  had  no  way  of  returning  them  home,  but  now 
he  should  do  so. 

The  next  day,  Baker  made  suitable  preparations  to 
receive  the  king  in  return.  But,  after  waiting  a  long  time, 
the  latter  sent  word  that  lie  would  rather  Baker  would 
come  to  his  house,  evidently  being  afraid  of  foul  play. 
Baker  bade  the  messenger  tell  the  king  that  he  was  not 
old  enough  yet  to  have  learnt  good  manners,  and  that  he 
should  at  once  dismiss  his  troops  that  had  been  kept  waiting 


KING   ABBA   EEGA's  VISIT.  267 

for  two  hours  and  ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  "  return." 
The  sound  of  the  bugle  terrified  him,  and  he  agreed  to 
come  at  once,  and  the  troops  resumed  their  old  position. 
"  In  a  few  minutes,"  he  says,  "  a  great  din  of  horns,  and 
drums,  and  whistles  announced  his  approach,  and  we  ob- 
served him  walking  down  the  road  with  an  extraordinary 
gait.  He  was  taking  enormous  strides,  as  though  carica- 
turing the  walk  of  a  giraffe."  As  he  stalked  along,  he  was 
followed  by  a  number  of  chiefs.  When  he  came  opposite 
the  band,  the  bugles,  and  drums,  and  cymbals  saluted  him 
with  such  a  terrible  din  that  he  forgot  his  gait  and  cau- 
tiously, shyly  entered  the  tent  of  Baker  and  hesitatingly 
took  his  seat  upon  the  divan  which  had  been  prepared  for 
him,  while  a  crowd  of  two  thousand  or  more  surrounded 
the  tent,  which  was  guarded  by  Baker's  troops.  The 
young  king  was  about  five  feet,  ten  inches  in  height,  with 
a  very  light  complexion  and  beautifully-shaped  hands, 
which  were  kept  scrupulously  clean.  His  forehead  was 
low  but  broad,  and  his  mouth  large,  with  exceedingly  white 
but  prominent  teeth.  He  was  cruel,  cunning  and  treach- 
erous, and  the  moment  he  mounted  the  throne  invited  all 
his  principal  relations  to  visit  him,  and  then  treacherously 
murdered  them.  He  was  suspicious  of  Baker,  and  would 
not  drink  the  coffee  and  sherbet  offered  him.  The  con- 
versation soon  turned  upon  Kionga,  and  the  king  took  it 
for  granted  that  Baker  would  assist  him  to  get  rid  of  his 
enemy,  as  otherwise,  he  said,  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt 
any  improvement  in  the  country.  Baker  changed  the  con- 
versation by  ordering  a  large  metal  box  to  be  brought 
'foi'ward,  filled  with  an  assortment  of  presents.  Among 
these  w^as  a  watch,  which  Baker  told  him  was  intended  for 
his  father,  who  was  his  friend  when  he  visited  the  country 
before.  The  king  appropriated  them  all.  Baker  gave  him, 
also,  a  musical  snuff-box.     After  some  time  had  been  spent 


268  THE  king's  buffoons. 

examining  the  toy,  he  again  entered  at  length  on  the  object  of 
his  mission  and  how  he  hoped  to  open  an  extensive  com- 
merce with  the  country,  etc.,  etc.  To  all  of  which  Abba 
Kega's  constant  reply  was,  it  was  all  useless  to  attempt  any- 
thing till  Rionga  was  killed  and  he  must  help  him.  Baker 
declined,  saying  he  hoped  to  make  peace  between  them. 
But  to  all  his  propositions,  the  young  barbarian  replied, 
"  You  were  my  father's  friend,  your  wife  was  the  same. 
My  father  is  dead ;  but  Bionga  is  still  alive.  Now,  you 
are  my  father  and  your  wife  is  my  mother ;  will  you  allow 
your  son's  enemy  to  live  ?" 

Baker  had  no  idea  of  being  a  father  to  the  young  repro- 
bate, and  changed  the  subject  to  Abou  Saood.  He  found 
that  the  latter  had  told  a  pack  of  absurd  lies  about  him, 
and,  moreover,  had  acted  treacherously. 

After  the  interview  was  over,  a  space  was  cleared  for  a 
number  of  buffoons  of  the  king  to  exhibit  themselves.  A 
curious  theatrical  scene  was  performed,  followed  by  a  knock- 
down fight  with  clubs — the  whole  ending  in  a  disgusting 
act  of  indecency,  which  created  roars  of  laughter  among 
the  natives. 

Baker  now  set  about  establishing  a  station,  and  began  to 
build  a  government  house.  He  also  commenced  restoring 
slaves  and  punishing  slave-traders.  He  had  given  up 
lecturing  the  natives  on  the  cruelty  of  the  slave  trade.  It 
was  all  right  so  long  as  their  women  and  children  were  not 
taken.  In  fact,  slaves  were  considered  by  them  a  legiti- 
mate article  of  commerce.  Once,  when  Baker  had  been 
lecturing  an  old  chief  on  the  wickedness  of  the  practice, 
the  chief  asked  him,  when  he  had  finished,  if  he  had  a 
son.  The  latter  replied  that  his  sons  were  all  dead.  "  In- 
deed !"  exclaimed  the  savage.  "  I  have  a  son ;  an  only 
son ;  he  is  a  nice  boy,  a  very  good  boy,"  he  then  went  on 
to  expatiate  on  his  good  qualities,  the  chief  of  which,  that 


WONDERFUL   GROWTH    OF   VEGETABLES.  269 

lie  was  always  hungry,  and  wound  up  by  saying  "  he's  a 
good  boy,  indeed,  and  be's  my  only  son.  Fll  sell  him  to 
you  for  an  iron  spade."  It  was  plain  the  lecture  on  slavery 
had  not  yielded  much  fruit. 

Besides  the  erection  of  a  government  house,  Baker  now 
began  a  dwelling  for  himself,  and  commenced  to  clear  away 
some  fifty  acres  of  ground  for  the  planting  of  vegetables. 
But  Abba  Rega,  under  one  pretext  or  another,  did  not  sup- 
ply the  necessary  laborers.  Things  did  not  go  on  smoothly 
betw^een  Baker  and  this  young  barbaric  king-  Baker  now 
promised  to  send  to  Fatiko,  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles 
distant,  and  recover  there  all  the  slaves  that  Abou  Saood 
had  taken  captive  in  his  dominion,  and  then  order  Major 
Abdullah,  with  the  one  hundred  troops  there,  to  join  him 
when  Bionga,  his  old  enemy,  would  have  to  come  to  terms 
peaceably  or  forcibly.  This  plan  seemed  to  satisfy  Abba 
Bega,  especially  as  he  thought  this  would  necessarily  be 
the  first  step  toward  conquering  Bionga.  In  the  mean- 
while, Baker  amused  the  young  savage  with  sky  rockets 
and  other  European  marvels. 

All  this  time  the  station  was  progressing  rapidly.  The 
soil  was  so  rich  that  the  seeds  planted  sprung  up  like  magic. 
Melons,  pumpkins,  cucumbers  and  cotton  seeds  showed 
themselves  above  ground  in  three  days  after  they  were 
j^lanted.  Baker's  j)rivate  residence,  which  was  capacious 
and  well-furnished  for  Central  Africa,  had  been  com- 
pleted. This,  with  everything  else  that  Baker  did,  was 
reported  to  Abba  Bega  by  his  spies,  that  were  always 
hanging  about. 

Things  did  not  wear  a  satisfactory  aspect,  although 
nothing  was  done  alarming  which  was  not  declared  to  be 
merely  a  practical  joke.  One  night,  especially,  a  hellish 
noise  of  drums  and  shouts  seemed  to  announce  an  attack 
on  the  camp,  but  nothing  came  of  it.     The  next  morning 


270  THE  MAGNETIC   BATTERY. 

after  this  very  serious  practical  joke,  Baker  sent  to  the 
king  to  come  and  visit  liim.    But  the  messengers  returned, 
saying  that  he  was  either  drunk  or  asleep.     In  fact,  it  was 
the  custom  of  this  young  negro  king  to  get  drunk  every 
night  and  sleep  till  .two  o'clock  next  day,  when  he  dressed 
and  attended  to  public  business.     He  was   susj^feious  of 
Baker,  but  the  latter,  on  the  11th  of  May,  prevailed  on 
him  to  visit  him,  and  he  was  astonished  and  delighted  at 
the  suj^erb  appearance  of  the  room,  which  had  been  adorned 
with  all  sorts  of  goods,  and  nmsical  instruments,  and  toys  of 
endless  variety.     The  magnetic  battery  was  the  chief  ob- 
ject of  curiosity,  and  the  king  ordered  each  of  his  chiefs  to 
take  a  shock,  the  effect  of  which  sent  him  into  roars  of 
laughter.     At  length  one  of  the  wires  gave  way  as  one  of 
the  members  of  his  royal  cabinet  was  kicking  and  rolling 
on  the  ground,   which  finished  the  entertainment.     The 
king  now  wished  to  see  the  private  apartments.     As  they 
entered,  each  one  put  his  hand  on  his  mouth,  and  cried, 
"  Wall !  wah!"  in  astonishment  at  the  magnificent  display 
that  met  their  eyes.     The  large  looking-glasses  that  had 
been  brought  on  as  presents — especially  two,  that  hung 
opposite  each  other,  giving  an   endless   reflection — com- 
pletely bewildered  them,  and  they  cried  out,  "Magic!" 
The  photographs  were  next  examined,  and  the  king  wanted 
to  know  why  the  eyes  in  all  the  pictures  kept  looking  at 
him,  whichever    way  he  turned.     This  was   also   magic. 
The  guns  and  various  breech-loading  rifles  were  curiously 
examined,  and  the  large  musical-box,  set  agoing,  which  the 
king  thought  would  be  an  excellent  thing  to  send  him  to 
sleep  when  too  drunk  to  play  himself.     He  begged  for 
everything,  even  Mrs.  Baker's  trinkets,  and  was  vexed  that 
they  were  not  given  him.     A  small  and  beautifully-made 
revolver  was  shown  him,  and  he  asked  :  "  Does  this  belong 
to  the  *  sit '  *  woman '  too  ?"     When  told  that  it  did,  he 


ANNEXING   THE   COUNTRY.  271 

burst  out  laughing,  saying :  "  Bo  women  also  carry 
arms,  in  your  country  ?  I  see  everything  belongs  to  the 
'sit.'" 

Mrs.  Baker  now  gave  hira  some  Venetian  beads  and  a 
handsome  gilt  bracelet,  set  with  four  large  French  emeralds 
— something  he  had  never  seen  before — together  with  a 
few  strings  of  imitation  pearls,  which  delighted  him,  and 
the  greedy  young  cub  was  finally  got  rid  of. 

The  day  was  fixed  for  erecting  the  flag  and  taking  pos- 
session of  the  country  formally  in  the  name  of  the  khedive. 
The  troops  assembled  in  the  morning,  the  flag  was  hoisted, 
the  salutes  made,  the  drums  beat  and  the  volleys  fired ; 
and,  as  far  as  mere  form  went,  the  country  was  annexed 
to  Egypt. 

IMr.  Baker  had  constant  trouble  with  this  young  bar- 
barian, who  had  more  of  the  thief,  and  liar,  and  traitor 
about  him  than  any  man  he  had  yet  seen. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  he  sent  off  the  party  to  Fatiko, 
bearing  dispatches  to  England  and  Egypt.  He  also  sent 
instructions  to  Major  Abdullah  to  arrest  Abou  Saood  and 
Suleiman  and  send  them  to  Gondokoro,  and  march  him- 
self with  his  detachment  to  Foweera,  near  Bionga's  capital. 
This  reduced  his  force  to  a  hundred  regulars,  four  sailors 
and  four  armed  Baris. 

Mr.  Baker  now  began  to  carry  out  one  of  the  objects  of 
his  expedition,  which  was,  after  taking  measures  to  break 
up  the  slave  trade,  to  establish  the  industries  of  civilized 
life.  There  was  a  vast  amount  of  ivory  in  this  region,  and 
he  began  to  trade  off  goods  for  it.  Those  that  the  natives 
prized  most  were  toys — such  as  beads,  mirrors,  butchers* 
knives,  gaudy-colored  handkerchiefs,  ear-rings,  and  all 
sorts  of  cheaply-gilded  ornaments.  A  couple  of  shillings' 
worth  of  these  would  buy  a  tusk  worth  $150.  Althougli 
this  looks  like  taking  advantage  of  the  savage,  it  must  be 


272  THEEATENING   OMENS. 

remembered  that  these  paltry  trinkets  were  worth  to  liim 
more  than  money  or  valuable  articles  of  clothing.  He  was 
well  satisfied  with  the  bargain,  for  he  got  just  what  he 
wanted.  Of  course,  valuable  goods  would  take  the  place 
of  these  baubles — cloths  for  dresses,  *  implements  of  hus- 
bandry and  mechanical  tools  be  in  demand  as  civilization 
advanced.  The  troops  behaved  well,  and  kept  order  as 
quietly  as  a  police  force  would  have  done.  Baker  next 
attempted  to  establish  a  school — making  a  young  man,  a 
clerk  of  his  detachment,  schoolmaster.  Everything  that 
had  been  sown  was  above  ground — such  as  cucumbers, 
melons  of  various  kinds,  pumpkins,  radishes,  onions,  to- 
matoes, as  well  as  some  wheat  and  cotton — all  growing 
with  that  luxuriance  and  rapidity  seen  nowhere  except  in 
the  tropics.  Every  cottage  was  surrounded  by  a  garden ; 
boys  and  girls  had  formed  partnerships  in  raising  vege- 
tables, and  things  began  to  wear  a  civilized  aspect. 
Although  so  near  the  equator,  the  air  was  cool  and 
invigorating,  for  they  were  nearly  four  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea  level.  The  only  drawback  was,  the  men 
were  intolerably  lazy,  and  passed  most  of  the  day  sleeping, 
or  idling  around  those  at  work.  But  amid  all  this  quiet 
and  peaceful  life,  Baker  could  not  but  observe  that  things 
had  changed  since  he  had  sent  away  so  large  a  part  of  his 
force  to  Fatiko.  At  length  he  became  so  uneasy,  that  he 
sent  a  messenger  to  bring  the  party  back. 

The  king,  in  the  meantime,  began  to  show  his  real  char- 
acter ;  he  studiously  kept  aloof  and  did  not  furnish  the 
l^rovisions  as  he  had  promised,  while  the  chiefs  showed  a 
different  demeanor.  Suddenly,  one  day,  things  seemed  to 
have  come  to  a  head.  While  Baker  was  drilling  his  troops, 
as  usual  (lie  and  his  officers  being  unarmed),  the  huge  war- 
drum  in  the  house  of  the  king  sounded,  and  in  less  than 
ten  minutes,  horns  were  blowing  in  every  direction,  and  the 


A   DEUNKEN   FREAK.  273 

negroes  came  pouring  in  from  all  quarters,  till  in  an  in- 
credible short  space  of  time  five  or  six  thousand  men  were 
gathered  around  the  little  band.  Baker  immediately  gave 
orders  to  form  a  square,  and,  with  the  officers,  stepped  in- 
side of  it,  and  a  row  of  fixed  bayonets  confronted  the 
crowd  on  every  side.  This  puzzled  them,  though  they 
danced  within  a  few  feet  of  the  glittering  points  of  steel. 
Baker  gave  strict  orders  not  to  fire,  and  he  and  the  officers 
stepped  outside  the  little  phalanx  of  eighty  men.  Walking 
quietly  up  to  two  of  the  principal  chiefs  he  pretended  to 
think  it  was  all  a  joke,  saying  carelessly,  "well  done,  fa- 
mously managed,  let  us  have  a  general  dance."  While 
they  hesitated,  he  ordered  the  band  to  strike  up  a  lively 
tune.  Whatever  had  been  the  original  intention,  all  hos- 
tile demonstrations  now  ceased,  and  Baker  demanded  to  see 
the  king.  After  some  delay  he  came  out,  but  so  drunk 
that  he  apparently  comprehended  nothing,  and  soon  reeled 
back  to  his  hut.  Baker  now  demanded  of  the  principal 
chief  the  meaning  of  this  strange  proceeding,  but  he  could 
give  no  satisfactory  answer,  except  that  the  king  was  so 
drunk  that  he  beat  the  war-drum  without  knowing  what  he 
was  about.  He  told  him  the  thing  must  not  happen  again, 
for  if  he  allowed  his  warriors  to  surround  his  troops  in  this 
fashion,  he  should  certainly  fire  into  them.  On  the  whole, 
he  felt  he  had  a  narrow  escape,  and  began  to  have  serious 
misgivings  for  the  future. 

Ten  native  merchants,  arriving  at  this  time  from  Kara- 
gwe,  a  long  distance  off,  reported  that  two  travelers  were 
with  their  king.  Baker  questioned  them  very  closely  to 
ascertain  if  one  of  them  might  not  be  Livingstone,  but  he 
was  convinced  that  neither  could  be. 

As  May  now  drew  to  a  close,  Baker  became  very  anxious 
— the  native  warriors  assembled  in  great  numbers  and  as- 
sumed a  hostile  attitude,  which  he  could  not  account  for. 


274  A   DRUNKEN   FEEAK. 

Not  dreaming  of  hostilities,  lie  had  not  prepared  for  defense 
and,  hence,  became  concerned  for  the  safety  of  his  troops, 
and  at  once  began  to.  erect  a  fort  or  stockade,  and  in  three 
days  (on  the  5th  of  June)  had  completed  it.  He  now  felt 
secure. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

BATTLE    OF    MASINDI. 

THE  TEOOPS  POISONED — A  SUDDEN  ATTACK— THE  TOWN  SET  ON  FIEE— A  SAD  SPECTACLE— BAKEB 
DISCOURAGED— A  PERILOUS  POSITION— FEARS  OF  ABDULLAH— HYPOCRISY  OP  ABBA  BEGA— 
PRESENTS  PASS  BETWEEN  HIM  AND  BAKER— TREACHERY— A  NARROW  ESCAPE— BAKER'S 
QUARTERS  SET  ON  FIEE— A  SECOND  ATTACK— THE  NEIGHBOPJNG  \aLLAGES  SET  ON  FIEE— FORE- 
THOUGHT OP  baker's  WIFE— prepabations  to  stabt  foe  eionga. 

BUT  matters  grew  steadily  worse,  until  one  day,  just 
after  dinner,  word  was  brought  Baker  that  many  of 
the  troops  appeared  to  be  dying.  On  inquiring  what  was 
the  matter,  he  was  told  that  they  had  been  drinking  some 
plantain  cider  which  the  natives  had  sent  them.  A  hor- 
rible suspicion  shot  through  his  mind,  and  he  immediately 
flew  to  his  medicine-chest  and  began  to  give  antidotes. 
He  at  once  suspected  that  this  was  preliminary  to  an  attack 
by  the  natives.  With  half  the  troops  sick  or  dying,  they 
expected  to  make  quick  work  with  the  remainder.  Hence, 
as  night  drew  on,  Baker  had  all  the  sick  taken  inside  the 
fort  and  the  sentries  doubled.  About  a  quarter  to  six,  he 
was  walking  with  his  wife,  smoking  his  pipe,  suspecting 
nothing,  when  he  says : 

"  Suddenly  we  were  startled  by  the  savage  yells  of  some 
thousand  voices,  which  burst  unexpectedly  upon  us ! 

"  This  horrible  sound  came  from  the  direction  of  Ma- 

tonse's  house,  and  was  within  a  hundred  and  twenty  yards 

from  where  we  stood ;  but  the  town  was  not  visible,  owing 

to  the  thick  covert  of  oil  bushes, 

275 


276  A  SUDDEN   ATTACK. 

"  The  savage  yells  were  almost  immediately  followed  by 
two  rifle-shots  in  the  same  direction. 

" '  Sound  the  taboor !'  Fortunately  I  gave  this  order  to 
the  bugler  at  my  side  without  one  moment's  delay. 

"  I  had  just  time  to  tell  my  wife  to  run  into  the  divan 
and  get  my  rifle  and  belt,  when  the  sharpshooters  opened 
fire  upon  me  from  the  bushes,  within  a  few  yards. 

"I  had  white  cotton  clothes,  thus  I  was  a  very  con- 
spicuous object.  As  I  walked  toward  the  divan  to  meet 
my  rifle,  the  sergeant  who  followed  close  behind  me  fell, 
shot  through  the  heart.  Poor  fellow,  the  shot  was  aimed 
at  me. 

"  The  troops  had  fallen  into  position  with  extraordinary 
rapidity,  and  several  ascended  the  roof  of  the  fort,  so  as  to 
see  clearly  over  the  high  grass.  A  soldier  immediately  fell, 
to  die  in  a  few  minutes,  shot  through  the  shoulder-blade. 
Another  man  of  the  *  Forty  Thieves '  was  shot  through  the 
leg,  above  the  knee.  The  bullets  were  flying  through  the 
government  divan  and  along  the  approach.  A  tumultuous 
roar  of  savage  voices  had  burst  from  all  sides,  and  the 
whole  place  was  alive  in  a  few  instants  after  the  first  two 
shots  had  been  heard.  Thousands  of  armed  natives  now 
rushed  from  all  directions  upon  the  station.  A  thrill  went 
through  me  when  I  thought  of  my  good  and  devoted  Mon- 
soor !  My  wife  had  quickly  given  me  my  belt  and  breech- 
loading  double  rifle.  Fortunately,  I  had  filled  up  the 
pouches  on  the  previous  evening  with  fifty  rounds  of 
cartridges. 

"  The  troops  were  now  in  open  order,  completely  around 
the  station,  and  were  pouring  a  heavy  fire  into  the  masses 
of  the  enemy  within  the  high  grass,  which  had  been  left 
purposely  uncleared  by  Abba  Kega,  in  order  to  favor 
this  treacherous  attack.  The  natives  kept  up  a  steady  fire 
upon  the  front  from  behind  the  castor-oil  bushes  and  the 


FIRING  THE   TOWN.  277 

densely-thronged  houses.  With  sixteen  men  of  the  '  Forty- 
Thieves,'  together  with  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  and  Lieu- 
tenant Baker,  R.  N.,  I  directed  a  heavy  fire  into  the 
covert,  and  soon  made  it  too  hot  for  the  sharpshooters.  I 
had  ordered  the  blue  lights  at  the  commencement  of  the 
attack.  My  black  boys,  Saat  and  Beltaal,  together  with 
some  soldiers,  now  arrived  with  a  good  supply.  Covering 
their  advance  with  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Sniders,  the  boys 
and  men  rushed  forward  and  immediately  ignited  Abba 
Rega's  large  divan.  These  active  and  plucky  lads  now  ran 
nimbly  from  hut  to  hut,  and  one  slight  touch  of  the  strong 
fire  of  the  blue  lights  was  sufficient  to  insure  the  ignition 
of  the  straw  dwellings. 

"  I  now  sent  a  party  of  fifteen  Sniders,  under  Lieutenant 
Ferritch  Agha,  one  of  my  most  courageous  officers,  with  a 
supply  of  blue  lights,  to  set  fire  to  the  town  on  our  left 
flank,  and  to  push  on  to  the  spot  where  the  missing  Mon- 
soor  and  Ferritch  had  fired  their  rifles. 

"  Every  arrangement  having  been  rapidly  carried  out, 
the  boys  and  a  few  men  continued  to  fire  the  houses  on  our 
right  flank ;  and  giving  the  order  to  advance,  our  party  of 
sixteen  rushed  forward  into  the  town. 

"'  The  right  and  left  flanks  were  now  blazing,  and  the 
flames  were  roaring  before  the  wind.  I  heard  the  rattling 
fire  of  the  Sniders,  under  Firritch  Agha,  on  our  left,  and 
knowing  that  both  flanks  were  now  thoroughly  secured  by 
the  conflagration,  we  dashed  straight  for  Abba  Eega's 
principal  residences  and  court,  driving  the  enemy  before 
us.  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  was  an  excellent  officer  in 
action.  We  quickly  surrounded  Abba  Rega's  premises 
and  set  fire  to  the  enormous  straw  building  on  all 
sides. 

"  If  he  had  been  at  home,  he  would  have  had  a  warm 
reception,  but  the  young  coward  had  fled  with  aU  his 


278  TERRIFIC   CONFLAGRATION. 

women  before  the  action  had  commenced,  together  with  the 
magic  bamba  or  throne  and  the  sacred  drum. 

"  In  a  few  minutes,  the  conflagration  was  terrific,  as  the 
great  court  of  Abba  Rega  blazed  in  flames,  seventy  or 
eighty  feet  high,  which  the  wind  drove  in  vivid  forks  into 
the  thatch  of  the  adjacent  houses. 

"We  now  followed  the  enemy  throughout  the  town,  and 
the  Sniders  told  with  sensible  effect  wherever  they  made  a 
stand.  The  blue  lights  continued  the  work  of  vengeance; 
the  roar  of  flames  and  the  dense  volumes  of  smoke,  min- 
gled with  the  continued  rattle  of  musketry  and  the  savage 
yells  of  the  natives,  swept  forward  with  the  breeze,  and  the 
capital  of  Unyoro  was  a  fair  sample  of  the  infernal  regions. 

"  The  natives  were  driven  out  of  the  town,  but  the  high 
grass  was  swarming  with  many  thousands,  who,  in  the 
•neighborhood  of  the  station,  still  advanced  to  attack  the 
soldiers. 

"  I  now  ordered  '  the  Forty  *  to  clear  the  grass,  and  a 
steady  fire  of  Snider  rifles  soon  purged  the  covert  uj^on 
which  the  enemy  had  relied.    • 

"  In  about  an  hour  and  a  quarter,  the  battle  of  Masindi 
was  won.  Not  a  house  remained  of  the  lately  extensive 
town.  A  vast  open  space  of  smoke  and  black  ashes,  with 
flames  flickering  in  some  places  where  the  buildings  had 
been  consumed,  and  at  others,  forked  sheets  of  fire  where 
the  fuel  was  still  undestroyed,  were  the  only  remains  of  the 
capital  of  Unyoro. 

"  The  enemy  had  fled.  Their  drums  and  horns,  lately 
so  noisy,  were  now  silent. 

"I  ordered  the  bugle  to  sound  'cease  firing.'  We 
marched  through  the  scorching  streets  to  our  station,  where 
I  found  my  wife  in  deep  distress. 

"  The  bugle  sounded  the  assembly,  and  the  men  mus- 
tered and  fell  in  for  the  roll-call.     Four  men  were  missing. 


DEATH   OF   MONSOOE.  279 

"  Lying  on  the  turf  close  to  the  fort  wall,  were  four 
bodies,  arranged  in  a  row,  and  covered  with  cloths. 

"  The  soldiers  gathered  around  them  as  I  approached. 

"  The  cloths  were  raised. 

"  My  eyes  rested  on  the  pale  features  of  my  ever-faithful 
and  devoted  officer,  Monsoor !  There  w^as  a  sad  expression 
of  pain  on  his  face.  I  could  not  help  feeling  his  pulse ; 
but  there  was  no  hope;  this  was  still.  I  laid  his  ari]i 
gently  by  his  side  and  pressed  his  hand  for  the  last  time, 
for  I  loved  Monsoor  as  a  true  friend.  His  body  was 
pierced  with  thirty-two  lance  wounds ;  thus  he  had  fought 
gallantly  to  the  last,  and  he  had  died  like  a  good  soldier ; 
but  he  was  treacherously  murdered,  instead  of  dying  on  a 
fair  battle-field. 

"  Poor  Ferritch  Baggara  was  lying  next  to  him,  with 
two  lance  wounds  through  the  chest. 

"  The  other  bodies  were  those  of  the  choush  who  had 
fallen  by  my  side,  and  the  soldier  who  had  been  shot  on 
the  parapet. 

"We  were  all  deeply  distressed  at  the  death  of  poor 
Monsoor.  There  never  was  a  more  thoroughly  unselfish 
and  excellent  man.  He  was  always  kind  to  the  boys,  and 
would  share  even  a  scanty  meal  in  hard  times  with  either 
friend  or  stranger.  He  was  the  lamb  in  peace  and  the 
lion  in  moments  of  danger.  I  owed  him  a  debt  of  grati- 
tude ;  for  although  I  was  the  general,  and  he  had  been 
only  a  corporal  when  he  first  joined  the  expedition,  he  had 
watched  over  my  safety  like  a  brother.  I  should  '  never 
see  his  like  again.' 

"  Monsoor  was  the  only  Christian,  excepting  the  Euro- 
pean party. 

"  The  graves  were  made.  I  gave  out  new  cloth  from 
the  stores  in  which  to  wrap  the  bodies  of  four  of- my  best 
men,  and  they  were  buried  near  the  fort. 


280  A   NAEROW   ESCAPE. 

"  My  heart  was  very  heavy.  God  knows  I  had  worked 
with  the  best  intentions  for  the  benefit  of  this  country,  and 
this  was  the  lamentable  result.  My  best  men  were  trea- 
cherously murdered.  We  had  narrowly  escaped  a  general 
massacre.  We  had  won  the  battle,  and  Masindi  was 
swept  from  the  earth.     What  next  ? 

"  I  find  these  words,  which  I  extract  from  my  journal, 
as  they  were  written  at  that  moment : 

"'Thus  ended  the  battle  of  Masindi,  caused  by  the 
horrible  treachery  of  the  natives.  Had  I  not  been  quick 
in  sounding  the  bugle  and  immediately  assuming  a  vig- 
orous offensive,  we  should  have  been  overwhelmed  by 
numbers.' " 

It  was  a  narrow  escape  for  the  expedition,  and  shows  on 
what  apparently  trivial  incidents  not  only  an  expedition 
may  fail,  but  a  great  moral  enterprise  come  to  nought  and 
the  fate  of  a  continent  be  changed.  Had  Baker  fallen 
before  the  bullet  so  coolly  aimed  at  him,  it  is  doubtful 
whether  another  expedition  would  have  been  started  for 
the  same  great  object  during  this  century. 

Baker  now  felt  himself  in  a  perilous  position.  Although 
one  of  the  chiefs  assured  him  that  Abba  Kega  had  nothing 
to  do  with  this  treachery,  but  that  it  was  the  work  of  Ma- 
tonse,  who  had  escaped,  and  that  the  king  had  hid  in  the 
grass  through  fear,  but  had  ordered  provisions  and  ivory 
to  be  sent  him  as  a  present.  Baker's  suspicions,  however, 
were  not  allayed ;  and  if  Abba  Kega  was  at  the  bottom  of 
it,  then  his  three  hundred  natives,  whom  he  had  sent  as 
carriers  with  Abdullah  to  Fatiko,  were  traitors  too,  and 
would,  doubtless,  seize  the  first  good  opportunity  to  attack 
the  unsuspecting  commander  and  massacre  him  and  all 
his  troops.  He  could  not  communicate  with  him,  and  his 
only  course,  shut  up  here  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  seemed  to 
be  to  push  on  to  Kionga,  whom  he  refused  to  attack  at  the 


PERILOUS   POSITION.  281 

request  of  Abba  Eega,  and  claim  his  support.  He  knew 
that  the  defeat  of  Abba  Rega's  army  and  destruction  of  his 
capital  had  reached  him,  for  he  always  had  spies  in  Un- 
yoro,  informing  him  of  everything  that  transpired,  and  he 
would  be  only  too  glad  to  help  complete  the  overthrow  of 
his  enemy.  He  thought,  too,  if  he  could  only  get  word  to 
him,  that  he  would  send  three  hundred  of  his  own  men  to 
Fatiko  to  take  the  place  of  those  sent  by  Abba  Eega,  and 
save  Abdullah  on  his  way  back,  as  he  had,  no 
doubt,  received  his  order  to  return.  While  he  was  plan- 
ning how  to  get  a  message  to  Eionga,  messengers  arrived 
from  Abba  Eega,  who  attempted  to  explain  the  cause  of 
the  late  outbreak,  declaring  that  the  blame  lay  on  Matons6 
and  that  the  king  would  soon  deliver  him  up.  Baker 
replied,  that  if  the  king  could  clear  himself,  he  should 
be  only  too  happy.  The  principal  chief  said  that  Abba 
Eega  was  in  despair,  and  had  given  orders  for  a  large 
quantity  of  ivory  and  provisions  to  be  sent  him.  Baker, 
pretending  to  believe  him,  sent  him  a  porcelain  dish,  that 
he  had  previously  promised,  as  a  peace  offering.  Through 
his  telescope  he  could  see  everything  that  passed  in  the 
distant  village  where  the  king  had  taken  up  his  abode,  and 
when  he  saw  that  the  present  was  received  with  great  de- 
light he  took  hope.  Two  beautiful  white  cows  were  sent 
as  a  present  in  return,  together  with  a  polite  message  from 
the  king ;  the  bearer  stating  that  a  large  quantity  of  pro- 
visions and  twenty  large  elephant  tusks  were  on  the  way  to 
him,  as  a  token  of  Abba  Eega's  sincerity.  This  looked 
well,  and  Baker,  to  propitiate  still  more  the  black  young 
reprobate,  sent  him  the  big  musical  box  the  former  had  so 
coveted  in  their  first  interview.  Eamadon,  the  clerk,  who 
had  frequent  meetings  with  the  natives  since  the  battle,  and 
believed  in  the  king's  sincerity,  was  sent  with  Hafiz  to  pre- 
sent the  box. 


282 


BAKER  S   QUARTERS   ON   FIRE. 


In  the  meantime,  Baker,  with  two  officers  and  two  of 
"  the  Forty,"  walked  around  the  burnt  town,  unarmed,  in 
order  to  conciliate  the  natives  that  still  lurked  amid  the 
ruins.  He  came  upon  two  men  standing  close  to  the  high 
grass  at  the  edge  of  the  town  and  asked  them  to  approach. 
They  said  they  were  afraid  of  the  two  sentries,  which  were 
some  forty  yards  in  his  rear.  As  he  turned  round  to  order 
these  to  retire,  one  of  the  villains  hurled  his  spear  at  him, 
which  struck  at  his  feet  and  stuck  quivering  in  the  ground, 
and  both  dodged  in  the  tall  grass.  This  unlooked-for 
treachery  disheartened  him  .and,  for  once,  Baker  feels  dis- 
couraged, and  jots  down  in  his  journal :  "  I  believe  I  have 
wasted  my  time  and  energy,  and  have  uselessly  encountered 
difficulties,  and  made  enemies  by  my  attempt  to  suppress 
the  slave  trade  and  thus  improve  the  condition  of  the 
natives."  He  was  now  anxious  about  Ramadon  and  Hafiz, 
who  had  not  returned,  for,  as  he  said,  "  it  is  impossible  to 
believe  one  word  in  this  accursed  country."  Evening  came 
and  still  they  did  not  return,  and  Baker  was  without  an 
interpreter.  About  eight  o'clock,  he  was  suddenly  aroused 
by  a  bright  light  that  soon  illumined  the  whole  sky.  The 
quarters  which  he  had  abandoned  for  tl:  e  protection  of  the 
fort  had  been  set  on  fire.  The  soldiers  were  immediately 
placed  in  position  to  receive  an  attack,  and  all  remained  as 
silent  as  death — nothing  was  heard  except  the  roaring  of 
the  flames.  Suddenly,  loud  yells  rent  the  air,  seemingly 
about  two  hundred  yards  distant,  but  not  a  soldier  stirred. 
The  negroes  had,  doubtless,  supposed  that  the  soldiers 
would  rush  out  to  extinguish  the  fire,  when  they  would 
fall  upon  them  and  murder  them.    The  attempt  had  failed. 

Two  days  passed,  and  still  the  messengers  with  the 
musical  box  had  not  returned.  This  was  ominous.  They 
never  did  return — they  were  cruelly  murdered. 

On  the  13th  of  June,  the  curtain  was  lifted,  and  Abba 


Mks.  baker's  forethought.  285 

Eega's  treachery  stood  clearly  revealed.  About  ten  o'clock 
a  sudden  rush  was  made  upon  the  cattle,  grazing  within 
sixty  yards  of  the  fort,  and  a  general  attack  made  upon 
the  station.  Baker  at  once  ordered  the  men  into  line,  and 
with  the  bugle  gave  the  order  to  charge  bayonet.  "With  a 
high  and  ringing  cheer  the  gallant  "Forty"  dashed 
through  the  ruins  of  the  town  and  into  the  high  grass, 
scattering  the  frightened  wretches  in  every  direction.  En- 
raged and  thoroughly  aroused,  Baker  now  ordered  Colonel 
Abd-el-Kader  to  take  blue  lights  and  burn  every  village 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  soon  the  whole  region  was  a  mass 
of  rolling  flame,  that  spread  with  frightful  rapidity  among 
the  straw  huts.  This  settled  the  matter,  and  Baker  now 
saw  that  his  only  hope  lay  in  pushing  on  fast  as  possible 
to  Bionga.  He  knew  that  he  would  have  to  fight  every 
inch  of  the  way,  but  that  was  safer  than  to  stay  there  and 
starve  to  death.  It  was  possible  they  might  starve  on 
their  way ;  but,  in  this  critical  moment.  Baker's  wife  told 
him  that,  as  a  precaution,  while  grain  was  abundant — she 
had,  from  time  to  time,  secreted  a  little,  till  now  there  was 
hidden  away  about  twelve  bushels.  This  announcement 
gave  new  life  to  all,  for  they  now  had  enough  to  last  them 
during  the  seven  days'  march  it  would  take  them  to  reach 
Foweera,  fifteen  miles  from  Bionga  and  in  his  dominions, 
and  preparations  were  made  for  an  immediate  departure. 
The  advance  and  rear  guards  were  to  carry  nothing  but 
their  knapsacks  and  a  small  bag  of  flour,  so  as  to  be  ready 
at  any  moment  to  meet  the  enemy.  The  order  of  march 
was  carefully  arranged,  while  buglers  were  scattered  the 
whole  length  of  the  line,  so  that  constant  communication 
could  be  kept  up  by  the  troops,  though  concealed  from 
each  other  by  the  tall  grass.  No  talking  was  allowed — 
nor,  however  thirsty,  was  any  one  to  stop  and  drink  unless 
the  bugle  sounded  halt. 


CHAPTER  XVin. 

THE   MAKCH    TO   EIONGA. 

THE  START— THE  STATION  FIRED— THE  MARCH— THE  COUNTRY  AROUSED — AN  AMBUSCADE- 
HOW  ARTE  SPEARED — SECOND  DAY'S  MARCH — A  SHARP  FIGHT— STRIPPED  FOR  THE  RACE— CON- 
STANT FIGHTING — EATING  THE  ENEMY'S  LIVER— FOWEERA  AT  LAST  REACHED— INTERVIEW 
WITH  THE  laNG — HIS  APPEARANXE- BAKER  OFFERS  TO  MAKE  HIM  RULER  OVER  THE  TERRI- 
TORY OF  ABBA  REGA — A  TREATY  MADE— SEALED  BY  DRINKING  EACH  OTHERS'  BLOOD — BA- 
KER RESOLVES  TO  RETURN  TO  FATIKO— ARRIVAL  OF  MIISSENGERS  WITH  BAD  NEWS — THE 
RETURN- THE  WIFE  COMPEI  LED  TO  WALK— ARRIVAL  AT  FATIKO— TREACHERY— THE  ATTACK 
— ^THE  FLIGHT  AND  PURSUIT— THE  VICTORY— BAKER  TURNS  SURGEON. 

THE  morning  of  the  14th  of  June,  1872,  dawned  dark 
and  dull,  and  a  drizzling  rain  began  to  fall.  At  nine 
o'clock  the  advance  guard  filed  along  the  path  in  silence, 
and  halted  at  a  little  distance  till  the  station  that  had  been 
built  with  so  much  care  should  be  fired.  As  the  smoke 
curled  slowly  up,  Baker  thought  with  regret  of  the  pictures 
and  other  mementos  of  home  that  he  had  been  comj^elled 
to  leave  behind  to  perish  in  it.  He  waited  till  the  flames 
had  got  under  uncontrollable  headway,  and  then  gave  the 
order  "forward,"  and  they  soon  entered  the  tall  grass. 
Baker's  wife  carried  a  Colt's  revolver  in  her  belt  and  a 
quantity  of  spare  ammunition  in  her  bosom  for  his  favorite 
rifle,  the  "Dutchman."  When  they  had  gone  about  a 
mile,  they  heard  shouts  in  the  rear,  evidently  made  by  the 
natives  around  the  conflagration.  The  march  was  slow 
through  the  tall  grass,  while  the  rain  came  down  steadily. 
Soon  all  over  the  country,  in  every  direction,  the  sound  of 
drums  and  horns  was  heard,  as  the  alarm  spread  from 
village  to  village.  The  little  band  heard  them  with 
286 


AN   AMBUSCADE.  287 

anxious  hearts,  for  the  fight  was  to  be  hundreds  against 
one. 

They  were  marching  steadily  on  through  the  rain,  when 
suddenly  raj^id  volleys  were  heard  from  the  advance  guard, 
and  the  bugles  rang  out  the  order  "  halt."  Lances  now 
flew  out  of  the  grass,  and  Howarte  fell  thrust  through  with 
a  spear,  which  he  himself  pulled  out  of  his  body,  but, 
before  doing  so,  shot  dead  the  negro  who  had  hurled  it 
Baker  bandaged  up  the  wound  as  best  he  could,  and,  amid 
a  shower  of  lances,  again  gave  the  order  to  advance  and 
fire  wherever  a  spear  appeared.  At  length  they  came  to 
open  ground,  where  there  was  no  grass.  Here  they  halted 
and  felled  the  plantain  trees  to  make  a  wall  around  the 
camp.  The  night  passed  quietly,  but  Baker,  as  he  lay 
awake  and  pondered  on  his  condition,  felt  that  the  coming 
day  would  be  one  long  running  fight.  The  next  morning, 
at  half-past  seven,  they  again  started,  Baker  ordering  the 
cattle  to  be  left  behind,  as  they  cumbered  his  march.  In 
about  an  hour  and  a  half,  they  descended  into  a  valley,  in 
which  was  a  broad  swamp.  They  were  just  entering  this, 
when  suddenly  there  arose  an  uproar  of  yells,  screams, 
drums,  horns  and  whistles  from  thousands  of  concealed 
negroes,  as  if  all  the  demons  in  hell  had  been  let  loose, 
while  a  tremendous  rush  through  the  grass  showed  that  a 
general  attack  was  being  made.  Instantly  every  load  was 
upon  the  ground,  and  the  files  knelt  facing  to  the  right 
and  left.  Next  moment  the  lances  were  flying  thickly 
across  the  path,  several  passing  close  to  Mrs.  Baker's  head, 
but  she  never  winced.  The  bugles  rang  out  "  fire,"  and 
the  rapid  volleys  swept  the  grass  in  every  direction. 
Baker  took  his  elephant  breech-loader  and  sent  explosive 
shells  from  it  into  the  grass,  which  carried  consternation 
among  the  savages.  When  the  fight  was  over  and  the 
men  mustered,  it  was  found  that  Howarte  had  died  during 


288  EATING   AN   enemy's   LIVER- 

the  conflict.  They  soon  gained  an  open  space,  where  they 
felt  secure. 

Baker  now  saw  that  the  men  were  too  heavily  laden,  and 
he  ordered  a  fire  to  be  kindled,  in  which  everything  (even 
Lieutenant  Baker's  naval  uniform)  which  was  not  abso- 
lutely indispensable  was  thrown  and  consumed.  He  was 
stripping  himself  for  the  race.  When  this  was  done,  the 
order  to  advance  was  again  given ;  and  as  they  once  more 
entered  the  cover,  the  horns  and  drums  were  again  heard. 
Although  frequent  halts  were  made  to  receive  the  enemy, 
they  made  no  attack,  and  they  for  some  time  marched 
unmolested.  The  ambuscades  were  frequent,  and  Abd-el- 
Kader  received  a  painful  wound  in  his  arm. 

On  the  16th  of  June,  the  little  band  started  at  half-past 
six.  From  that  time  until  ten  they  fought  nearly  the 
whole  way,  and  one  soldier  was  killed.  The  next  day  it 
was  the  same  thing  over  again — one  man  was  killed,  and  a 
boy,  leading  a  horse  a  few  paces  in  front  of  Baker,  uttered 
a  wild  shriek,  as  a  spear,  intended  for  the  latter,  jiassed 
through  his  body.  Mrs.  Baker,  in  these  long  and  heavy 
marches,  became  dreadfully  fatigued.  Soon  a  spear  passed 
through  Baker's  horse,  Zofteer,  which  was  a  grievous  loss 
to  him.  The  next  day  wore  slowly  on,  the  air  ever  and 
anon,  pierced  by  the  now  familiar  cry  of  "  Co-co-me,  co- 
co-me,"  which  always  heralded  an  attack.  On  this  day 
one  of  the  negroes  killed  was  dragged  into  camp,  and  a  scene 
occurred  of  a  most  disgusting  character.  Baker's  men 
had  a  superstitious  idea  that  if  they  devoured  a  part  of  the 
enemy's  liver,  that  every  bullet  they  fired  would  kill  an 
Unyoro.  Accordingly,  they  had  cut  out  the  liver  of  this 
dead  man,  and  were  eating  it  raw.  After  the  barbaric 
meal  was  finished,  they  cut  the  body  into  pieces  and  hung 
them  on  the  limbs  of  trees,  as  a  warning  to  all  Unyoros 
following  them. 


CAPTUEE  OF  AN  OLD  SERVANT.         289 

It  is  not  necessary  to  recapitulate  the  events  of  each 
clay's  march.  How  much  the  enemy  suffered  it  was  im- 
possible to  tell,  but  Baker's  small  force  was  gradually 
diminishing,  and  its  only  hope  lay  in  getting  quickly  into 
Rionga's  territory.  This  they  did  on  the  23d  of  June,  after 
ten  days  of  fatiguing  march  through  an  almost  endless 
ambuscade,  with  a  loss  of  ten  killed  and  eleven  wounded. 
It  had  been  eighty  days  of  almost  continual  fighting. 

The  place  where  he  encamped,  and  now  began  to  build 
a  new  station,  was  called  Foweera,  and  was  only  some 
fifteen  miles  from  the  island  on  which  Rionga  lived.  A 
fort  was  soon  erected,  though  of  a  primitive  kind.  In  the 
meantime  no  message  was  received  from  Rionga.  This 
might  be  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  inhabitants  on  that 
side  of  the  river  were  hostile  to  him,  and  Baker  therefore 
felled  palm-trees  and  constructed  canoes,  to  cross  over  to 
the  king.  These  were  in  a  few  days  completed,  and  it  was 
arranged  that  the  whole  party  should  cross  in  two  trips. 
This  consisted  now  of  ninety-seven  soldiers  and  officers, 
five  natives,  three  sailors,  fifty-one  women,  and  boys,  and 
servants,  and  three  Europeans — ^in  all,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-eight  persons. 

On  the  evening  of  the  29th,  a  party  in  search  of  green 
plaintains,  captured  a  native  and  brought  him  into  camp. 
He  proved  to  be  an  old  servant  of  Baker,  in  his  former  ex- 
plorations of  this  country.  Here  was  an  unexpected  piece 
of  good  luck.  From  him  he  learned  that  Rionga  was 
friendly  disposed,  but  that  he  had  been  deceived  so  oft^n 
that  he  was  afraid  to  trust  himself  in  his  hands.  From  him 
he  also  learned  that  Abdullah  had  been  betrayed  by  the 
three  hundred  natives,  as  he  feared,  but  that  these  had  not 
gone  on  to  Fatiko  with  the  detachment.  This  showed  that 
Abdullah  was  safe,  which  was  a  great  relief  to  /Baker. 

The  next  day  messengers  came  from  Rionga.     Baker 


290  EXCHANGING   BLOOD. 

sent  back  a  present  to  the  king,  with  a  message  saying  that 
he  had  refused  to  join  Abba  Kega  in  a  war  against  him, 
and  had,  in  consequence,  been  attacked  by  him,  and  that, 
if  he,  Kionga,  would  swear  allegiance  to  the  Egyptian 
government,  Abba  Kega  should  be  deposed,  and  he  put  in 
his  place.  He  also  sent  a  present  of  an  entire  piece  of 
red  Turkey  cloth,  and  blue  twill,  and  some  handkerchiefs, 
and  asked  for  provisions,  as  his  people  were  very  hungry. 
In  two  days  the  provisions  came,  and  with  them  canoes  to 
transport  the  party  to  the  island.  After  paddling  some 
fifteen  miles,  they  reached  the  island  at  five  o'clock,  but 
nobody  was  there  to  receive  them — ("a  true  negro  wel- 
come ") — and  they  camped  for  the  night  with  nothing  but 
porridge  and  curry  to  eat. 

On  the  18th,  messengers  arrived,  saying  that  Kionga 
would  visit  the  camp  that  morning.  About  eight  o'clock, 
drums  beating  and  horns  blowing,  announced  his  arrival. 
He  was  a  handsome  man,  about  fifty  years  old,  and  with 
exceedingly  good  manners.  It  turned  out  that  he  had 
kept  himself  well  posted  in  all  that  had  transpired,  and 
knew  long  ago  that  Abou  Saood  had  conspired  with  Abba 
Kega  for  Baker's  destruction,  should  he  push  on  beyond 
Gondokoro,  and  seemed  much  gratified  that  the  latter,  long 
before  he  knew  him,  should  have  refused  to  molest  him,  and 
took  him  by  the  hand.  He  declared  that  he  would  always 
remain  faithful  to  the  Egyptian  government,  but  that  to 
make  the  contract  sure,  they  must  immediately  exchange 
blood — a  ceremony  indispensable — if  he  would  secure  the 
co-operation  of  the  people.  The  next  morning  was  fixed 
for  the  performance  of  this  ceremony,  which  Kiongo  de- 
clared, with  childish  delight,  would  fill  Abba  Kega,  when 
he  heard  of  it,  with  despair. 

The  ceremony  commenced  that  evening  with  drinking 
large  quantities  of  plaintain  cider,  and  the  night  passed  in 


FRIENDS   FOEEVEE.  293 

singing  and  dancing.  At  about  nine  o'clock,  amid  several 
witnesses,  Baker  made  a  slight  incision  in  his  arm  with  a 
lancet,  from  which  a  few  drops  of  blood  flowed.  Rionga 
immediately  seized  his  arm  and  sucked  it.  Baker  did  the 
same  to  the  king's  arm,  taking  care,  however,  to  make  so 
slight  an  incision  that  but  a  single  drop  oozed  forth,  which, 
with  extreme  disgust,  he  was  obliged  to  lick  up.  Colonel 
Abd-el-Kader  and  Lieutenant  Baker  performed  the  same 
ceremony  with  the  king's  minister  and  son,  and  the  bond 
was  sealed  and  they  were  friends  forever.  After  this  the 
heads  of  several  tribes  appeared,  and  a  general  coalition  was 
formed  which  promised  well  for  the  future.  Baker  now 
arranged  to  leave  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader  with  sixty  men, 
in  the  stockade  he  had  built,  to  support  Bionga,  and  return 
himself  to  Fatiko. 

On  the  27th  of  July,  he  went  down  the  river  and  ar- 
rived at  his  station  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon.  The 
next  day,  before  starting,  he  saw  eight  natives,  who  shouted: 
"Are  you  the  pasha's  soldiers?"  (I.  G.  Baker's).  Being  an- 
swered that  they  were,  they  said  that  they  were  messengers 
sent  by  Abdullah  from  Fatiko.  Abou  Saood,  it  seemed, 
had  been  carrying  it  with  a  high  hand  during  Baker's 
absence.  Wat-el-Mek,  in  command  of  the  irregular  forces, 
wished  to  remain  true  to  the  government,  but  this  treach- 
erous slave-trader  had  prevented  him.  These  messengers 
had  come  to  find  Baker,  if  alive,  and  hurry  him  back,  for 
Abdullah  was  in  danger  of  being  overpowered  and  the  sta- 
tion destroyed.  If  Baker  had  received  this  disheartening 
news  sooner,  he  would  not  have  left  Colonel  Abd-el-Kader 
behind  with  sixty  men.  But  it  was  too  late  now  to  change 
his  plan,  and  he  immediately  pushed  on  for  Fatiko,  some 
eighty  miles  distant.  Only  one  horse  was  now  left  to 
Baker,  and  he  had  such  a  sore  back  that  his  wife  had  to 
walk,  as  the  mud  was  too  deep  for  the  solitary  donkey  that 


294  AKKIVAL   AT   FATIKO. 

remained  to  Mm.  With  only  dried  fish  for  food,  they 
pushed  rapidly  on  through  the  uninhabited  wilderness,  and 
on  the  third  day  arrived  within  ten  miles  of  Fatiko.  He 
here  learned  that  an  attack  had  been  planned  on  Abdullah, 
which  was  to  be  made  by  Wat-el-Mek  and  Ali  Hussein, 
while  Abou  Saood,  its  author,  had  prudently  retired  to 
Fabbo,  twenty  miles  distant. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  Baker  again  set  out,  and  marching 
rapidly  through  a  beautiful  country  of  dells,  woods  and 
open  j)ark-like  lands,  at  last  ascended  the  hill  that  rose 
toward  Fatiko.  As  he  approached  the  place,  he  ordered 
the  bugles  to  sound  the  assembly.  He  entered  the  village 
at  half-past  nine,  and  was  warmly  received  by  Abdullah, 
who  simply  said,  as  he  grasped  his  hand,  "  Thank  God,  you 
are  safe  and  here,  all  will  go  well  now."  No  one  from 
Abou  Saood's  station  came  to  welcome  him,  which  was  meant 
as  an  insult.  After  Baker  had  changed  his  dress  he  or- 
dered Major  Abdullah  to  form  the  troops  in  line,  as  he 
wished  to  inspect  them.  When  he  had  finished  the  inspec- 
tion he  was  about  to  return,  when  Abdullah  asked  him  to 
wait  a  little  longer,  as  Wat-el-Mek,  with  his  people,  were 
now  approaching,  with  their  numerous  flags,  to  salute  him. 
Seven  large  crimson  flags  upon  tall  staffs,  and  ornamented 
with  ostrich  feathers,  marked  the  intervals  in  the  advancing 
line.  Two  hundred  and  seventy  strong,  they  formed*  in 
line,  in  open  order,  directly  facing  the  government  troops. 
Wat-el-Mek  was  dressed  in  bright  yellow,'  with  loose  flow- 
ing trowsers,  and  Ali  Hussein  in  a  snow-white  long  robe 
and  black  trowsers.  By  way  of  complimenting  him  they 
had  brought  out  two  large  cases  of  ammunition.  These 
were  placed  with  a  guard  under  a  tree.  Baker's  wife  now 
suspected  treachery  and  begged  her  husband  to  dismount. 
He,  however,  remained  on  horseback  until  all  the  arrange- 
ments were  finished,  when  he  ordered  Abdullah  to  retire  to 


TREACHERY.  29o 

camp  with  the  troops.  He  then  sent  to  Wat-el-Mek,  say- 
ing that  he  wanted  to  see  him ;  the  latter  promised  to  come 
but  did  not.  Baker  sent  five  different  messengers,  with  the 
same  result.  He  then  ordered  Abdullah  to  go,  himself, 
with  some  soldiers  and,  if  he  refused  to  come,  arrest  him. 
The  bugle  summoned  the  men,  who  had  dispersed,  and 
they  immediately  formed,  two  deep,  in  the  open  space  in 
the  camp.  Lieutenant  Baker  offered  to  go  and  see  Wat-el- 
Mek  in  person,  and  Baker,  having  given  his  consent,  ad- 
vised him  to  take  some  soldiers  with  him. 

THE  ATTACK. 

While  he  was  giving  them  some  instructions,  he  was  in- 
terrupted by  a  volley  of  musketry,  concentrated  on  the 
mass  of  scarlet  uniforms.  In  a  few  seconds  seven  men 
were  struck,  and  the  bullets  were  whistling  on  every  side. 
He  says : 

"My  wife,  who  was  always  ready  in  any  emergency, 
rushed  out  of  her  hut  with  my  rifle  and  belt. 

"  The  soldiers  had  already  commenced  firing  by  the  time 
that  I  was  armed  and  had  reached  the  front,  by  the  edge 
of  the  light  fence  of  wattles,  that  were  inferior  to  the 
lightest  hurdles. 

"  I  now  observed  the  enemy  about  ninety  yards  distant ; 
many  of  them  were  kneeling  on  the  ground  and  firing,  but 
immediately  on  taking  a  shot  they  retired  behind  the  huts 
to  reload.  In  this  manner  they  were  keeping  up  a  hot 
fire.  I  perceived  a  man  in  white  upper  garments,  but 
with  black  trousers ;  this  fellow  knelt  and  fired.  I  imme- 
diately took  a  shot  at  him  with  the  'Dutchman,'  and 
without  delay  I  kept  loading  and  firing  my  favorite  little 
breech-loader  at  every  man  of  the  enemy  that  was  decently 
dressed.  " 


296  THE   "DUTCHMAN"   SPEAKS. 

"  We  should  have  lost  many  men  if  this  hiding  behind 
huts  and  popping  from  cover  had  been  allowed  to  continue. 
I  therefore  ordered  my  *  Forty  Thieves'  together,  and 
ordered  the  bugler  to  sound  the  charge  with  the  bayonet. 

"  Pushing  through  the  narrow  wicker  gateway,  I  formed 
some  thirty  or  forty  men  in  line  and  led  them  at  full  speed, 
with  fixed  bayonets,  against  the  enemy. 

"Although  the  slave-hunters  had  primed  themselves 
well  with  araki  and  merissa  before  they  had  screwed  up 
courage  to  attack  the  troops,  they  were  not  quite  up  to 
standing  before  a  bayonet-charge.  The  'Forty  Thieves' 
were  aw^kward  customers,  and  in  a  quarter  of  a  minute 
they  were  amongst  them. 

"  The  enemy  were  regularly  crumpled  up !  and  had  they 
not  taken  to  flight,  they  would  have  been  bayoneted  to  a 
man. 

"  I  now  saw  Wat-el-Mek  in  his  unmistakable  yellow 
suit ;  he  was  marching  alone  across  a  road  about  a  hundred 
and  eighty  yards  distant.  He  was  crossing  to  my  right ; 
and  I  imagined,  as  he  was  alone,  that  he  intended  to  screen 
himself  behind  the  houses,  and  then  to  surrender. 

"  To  my  surprise,  I  observed  that  when  he  recognized 
me,  he  at  once  raised  his  gun  and  took  a  steady  aim.  I 
was  at  that  moment  reloading ;  but  I  was  ready  the  instant 
he  had  fired  and  missed  me. 

"  He  now  walked  quickly  toward  a  hut  across  to  my 
right.  I  allowed  about  half  a  foot  before  him  for  his  pace 
and  the  '  Dutchman'  had  a  word  to  say. 

"  The  bullet  struck  his  right  hand,  taking  the  middle 
finger  off  at  the  root,  and  then  striking  the  gun  in  the 
middle  of  the  lock-plate,  it  cut  it  completely  in  halves  as 
though  it  had  been  divided  by  a  blow  with  an  axe.  He 
was  almost  immediately  taken  prisoner.  One  of  'the 
Forty '  (Seroor)  was  so  enraged  that  he  was  with  difficulty 


THE  VICTORY.  299 

prevented  from  finishing  Wat-el-Mek  with  a  bayonet- 
thrust. 

"  I  now  ordered  a  general  advance  at  the  double ;  and 
the  troops  spread  out  through  the  extensive  town  of  huts, 
which  occupied  about  thirty  acres. 

"As  we  ran  through  the  town,  I  observed  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  of  the  enemy  had  rallied  around  their 
flags,  and  were  retreating  quickly,  but  steadily,  in  the 
direction  of  the  Shooa  hill.  They  continued  to  turn  and 
fire  from  the  rear  of  their  party.  Having  reduced  the 
distance  to  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards,  the  crimson 
silk  banners  afibrded  excellent  marks  for  rifle  practices. 
They  fell  to  the  right  and  left,  as  the  shots  were  directed  a 
little  low,  so  as  to  hit  the  bearers.  In  a  few  minutes  not  a 
flag  was  to  be  seen.  The  fatal  Sniders  poured  bullets  into 
the  dense  body  of  men,  who,  after  wavering  to  and  fro,  as 
the  shots  thinned  their  number,  at  length  ran  off"  without 
any  further  effort  to  maintain  a  formation.  For  upwards 
of  four  miles  Lieutenant  Baker  and  I  chased  these  ruffians 
with  the  '  Forty  Thieves.'  Many  were  killed  in  the  pur- 
suit ;  and  upon  our  return  to  the  camp,  at  Fatiko,  at  2 
P.  M.,  we  had  captured  a  herd  of  three  hundred  and  six 
cattle,  one  hundred  and  thirty  slaves,  fifteen  donkeys, 
forty-three  prisoners,  seven  flags,  together  with  the  entire 
station.  The  enemy  had  suffered  the  loss  of  more  than 
half  their  party  killed." 

Abdullah's  men  had  behaved  shamefully,  and  all  the 
fighting  had  been  done  by  the  "  Forty  Thieves."  These, 
and  Baker,  and  the  other  officers,  had  neither  eaten  nor 
drank  since  the  previous  evening,  except  to  quaff"  a  little 
water,  as  the  pursuit  ended.  They,  besides,  had  walked 
ten  miles  in  the  morning  to  reach  Fatiko — fought  the 
traitors — chased  them  four  miles  on  a  run,  and  then  re- 
turned four  miles. 


300  BAKER  TUENS  SUEGEOX. 

Baker's  wife,  wlio  seemed  equal  to  every  emergency,  and 
whose  forethought  was  as  remarkable  as  her  presence  of 
mind  in  danger,  had  prepared  a  warm  breakfast  for  them, 
which  was  eaten  with  a  sharj^ened  aj)j)etite. 

Baker  had  asked  where  the  villain  Ali  Hussein  was. 

"  Dead  !"  cried  a  number  of  voices. 

"  Are  you  certain  ?"  asked  Baker. 

"We  will  bring  you  his  head,"  was  the  reply,  and 
started  off. 

He  had  hardly  finished  his  breakfast,  when  he  heard  a 
heavy  thud  on  the  floor  of  the  hut,  and  turning,  saw  there 
the  ghastly  head,  with  the  hair  matted  with  blood.  There 
was  no  mistaking  the  villainous  expression,  even  in  death. 
He  had  received  two  bullets,  but  was  still  alive  when 
found.     The  natives,  however,  soon  dispatched  him. 

Baker,  owing  to  the  death,  previously,  of  his  chief  sur- 
geon, and  the  retirement  of  another  at  Gondokoro,  had 
been  left  with  so  weak  a  medical  staff,  that  he  could  take 
no  surgeon  with  him,  and  he  therefore  was  now  compelled 
to  act  as  one  himself.  In  the  fight  he  had  not  lost  a  sijigle 
man  killed,  but  more  than  a  sixth  of  his  force  had  been 
wounded,  some  of  them  badly.  He  dressed  the  wounds 
with  a  weak  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  and  removed  a  bullet 
from  the  broken  thigh  of  one  of  his  brave  "  Forty,"  and 
soon  had  them  all  doing  well. 

The  gun  of  Wat-el-Mek,  which  he  had  shivered  with  a 
bullet,  was  one  given  him  by  Speke  in  his  travels.  The 
man  seemed  to  be  so  truly  penitent  for  his  conduct,  and 
averred  so  stoutly  that  he  acted  under  the  orders  of  Abou 
Saood,  and  swore  so  solemnly  that  he  would  serve  Baker 
faithfully  in  future,  that  the  latter,  wishing  to  haye  his 
services,  for  he  was  an  invaluable  man,  finally  pardoned 
him. 

Abou  Saood  swore  that  he  had  nothing  to  do  with  the 


A   PEOSPEEOUS   FUTUEE.  301 

late  conspiracy,  and  though  Baker  knew  that  he  lied  and 
ought  to  be  hung,  yet  he  thought  it  more  prudent  to  let 
him  alone,  and  the  consummate  villain  started  for  Cairo  to 
lodge  a  complaint  against  him  with  the  khedive  of  Egypt. 
From  this  date  all  trouble  was  over.  Baker  had  gained 
a  complete  victory.  Perfect  confidence  was  established 
among  the  natives  throughout  the  large  country  of  Shooli ; 
the  children  and  women  flocked  to  the  camp ;  marketing 
on  a  large  scale  was  conducted  quietly,  and  Baker  felt 
rewarded  for  all  the  toils  he  had  endured ;  grieving  only 
for  those  who  had  fallen  while  aiding  him  in  the  good 
work.  Slave-hunting  was  at  an  end  down  to  the  equator, 
fields  were  planted,  and  a  prosperous  future  seemed  in  store 
for  Africa. 


CHAPTEE  XIX. 

ARRIVAL  OF  CANNIBALS— CHILDREN  DEVOURED— SMALL-POX  DISPERSES  THEM— A  GRAlfD  HUNT- 
THE  MODE  OP  CONDUCTING  IT  BY  NETS  AND  FIRE— THE  RESULT— LIFE  AT  FATIKO — A  SECOND 
HUNT— KILLING  A  LION— A  WOMAN'S  RIGHTS  MEETING— A  HAPPY  COMMUNITY,  IN  WHICH 
NEITHER  RELIGIOUS  DOGMAS  OR  LAW  CASES  ENTER— NEWS  FROM  LIVINGSTONE— KING  MTESA— 
ARRIVAL  OP  REINFORCEMENTS— BAD  MILITARY  CONDUCT— BAKER  WRITES  OUT  A  SET  OF  RULES 
FOR  ABDULLAH  AND  STARTS  FOR  HOME— RELEASES  CAPTIVE  WOMEN  AND  CHILDREN— AN 
EXPRESSION  OF  GRATITUDE  NOT  ASKED  FOR— KISSED  BY  A  NAKED  BEAUTY— CONCLUDING 
REMARKS— A  MISSIONARY'S  OUTFIT— OFFICAL  REPORT- A  HANDSOME  TRIBUTE  TO  HIS  WIFE— 
AFRICA'S  FUTURE. 

BAKER  now  sent  to  Gondokoro  for  reinforcements. 
In  the  meantime,  a  large  body  of  Abou  Saood's  slave- 
hunters,  together  with  three  thousand  cannibals,  arrived  on 
the  Nile  from  the  far  west,  whom  this  arch-traitor  had  sent 
for  before  his  downfall,  which  he  had  not  anticipated. 
These  wretches  were  eating  the  children  of  the  country  as 
they  advanced,  and  their  proximity  filled  the  people  of 
Fatiko  and  the  Shooli  country  with  alarm.  Baker  at  once 
took  measures  to  prevent  them  from  crossing  the  Nile. 
He  sent  spies  among  them,  and  they  finding  they  had  been 
deceived  by  Abou  Saood,  began  to  quarrel  among  them- 
selves— agreeing  in  nothing  but  in  devouring  the  children 
of  the  district.  Providentially,  at  this  critical  juncture, 
the  small-pox  broke  out  among  them  and  killed  more  than 
eight  hundred  of  their  number,  which  dispersed  the  re- 
mainder. Abba  Pega  had  been  defeated  by  Pionga  and 
his  allies,  and  fled  to  the  shores  of  the  Albert  Nyanza. 

Everything  having  at  length  been  put  on  a  peaceful 
footing.  Baker  turned  his  attention  to  hunting  with  the 
people  of  Fatiko,  much  to  their  delight,  especially  as  they 
302 


A   NET-HTJNT.  305 

were  short  of  meat.  When  the  grass  is  ready  to  burn,  a 
grand  hunt  always  takes  place,  in  which  nets  form  a  con- 
spicuous part.  Every  man  in  the  country  is  provided 
with  a  strong  net  of  cord,  twelve  feet  long  and  eleven  feet 
deep,  with  meshes  six  inches  square. 

On  the  day  appointed,  the  big  drum  is  beaten  and  the 
natives  assemble  and  select  the  region  for  hunting.  Some- 
times a  grand  entertainment  precedes  a  hunt,  at  which  the 
natives  to  the  number  of  a  thousand  present  themselves, 
painted  with  fresh  cow-dung  and  adorned  with  ostrich 
feathers,  leopard  skins,  etc.  On  arriving  in  the  district 
where  the  hunt  is  to  take  place,  the  nets  are  lashed 
together  and  sunk  in  the  grass,  making  an  invisible  fence 
a  mile  and  a  half  long,  while  the  men  lay  concealed  behind 
a  screen  of  grass  bound  together  at  the  top. 

When  everything  was  arranged  in  this  hunt,  men  went 
to  windward  some  two  miles  to  set  fire  to  the  grass.  The 
game  would,  of  course,  flee  before  the  flames  and  rush 
unsuspectingly  upon  the  nets,  when  they  would  be  shot 
down.  Every  man  is  entitled  to  the  game  that  is  killed 
in  his  section  of  the  net.  But  sometimes  an  animal  is 
mortally  wounded  by  a  man  stationed  at  his  net,  yet  finally 
killed  by  his  neighbor,  which  often  causes  serious  quarrels. 
On  this  day,  when  everything  was  ready,  and  the  men  had 
already  been  stationed  at  regular  intervals  about  two  miles 
to  windward,  to  wait  with  their  fire-sticks  for  the  appointed 
signal,  Baker  says  that  suddenly  "  a  shrill  whistle  disturbed 
the  silence.  This  signal  was  repeated  at  intervals  to  wind- 
ward. 

"  In  a  few  minutes  after  the  signal,  a  long  line  of  separate 
thin  pillars  of  smoke  ascended  into  the  blue  sky,  forming  a 
band  extending  over  about  two  miles  of  the  horizon.  The 
thin  pillars  rapidly  thickened  and  became  dense  volumes, 
until  at  length  they  united  and  formed  a  long  black  cloud  of 


306 


DRIVING   THE   GAME. 


smoke,  that  drifted  before  the  wind  over  the  bright,  yellow 
surface  of  the  high  grass. 

"  The  natives  were  so  thoroughly  concealed,  that  no  one 
would  have  supposed  that  a  human  being  beside  ourselves 
was  in  the  neighborhood.  I  had  stuck  a  few  twigs  into  the 
top  of  the  ant-hill  to  hide  my  cap ;  and  having,  cut  for 
myself  a  step  at  the  required  height,  I  waited  in  patience. 

"  The  wind  was  brisk  and  the  fire  traveled  at  the  rate  of 
about  four  miles  an  hour.  We  could  soon  hear  the  distant 
roar,  as  the  great  volume  of  flame  shot  high  through  the 
centre  of  the  smoke.  The  natives  had  also  lighted  the 
grass  a  few  hundred  yards  to  our  rear. 

"  Presently  I  saw  a  slate-colored  mass  trotting  along  the 
face  of  the  opposite  slope,  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
distant.  I  quickly  made  out  a  rhinoceros,  and  I  was  in 
hopes  that  he  was  coming  toward  me.  Suddenly  he  turned 
to  my  right  and  continued  along  the  face  of  the  inclina- 
tion. 

"  Some  of  the  beautiful  leucotis  antelope  now  appeared 
and  cantered  toward  me,  but  halted  when  they  approached 
the  stream,  and  listened.  The  game  understood  the  hunt- 
ing as  well  as  the  natives.  In  the  same  manner  that  the 
young  children  went  out  to  hunt  with  their  parents,  so  had 
the  wild  animals  been  hunted  with  their  parents  ever  since 
their  birth. 

"  The  leucotis  now  charged  across  the  stream ;  at  the 
same  time  a  herd  of  hartbeest  dashed  past.  I  knocked 
over  one,  and,  with  the  left-hand  barrel,  I  wounded  a  leu- 
cotis. At  this  moment,  a  lion  and  a  lioness,  that  had  been 
disturbed  by  the  fire  in  our  rear,  came  bounding  along 
close  to  where  Molodi  had  been  concealed  with  the  lun- 
cheon. Away  went  Molodi  at  a  tremendous  pace,  and  he 
came  rushing  past  me  as  though  the  lions  were  chasing  him; 
but  they  were  endeavoring  to  escape,  themselves,  and  had 


RESULTS   OF   THE  HUNT.  309 

no  idea  of  attacking.  I  was  just  going  to  take  the  inviting 
shot,  when,  as  my  finger  was  on  the  trigger,  I  saw  the  head 
of  a  native  rise  out  of  the  grass  directly  in  the  line  of  fire ; 
then  another  head  popped  up  from  a  native  who  had  been 
concealed,  and,  rather  than  risk  an  accident,  I  allowed  the 
lion  to  pass.  At  one  magnificent  bound  it  cleared  the 
stream  and  disappeared  in  the  high  grass. 

"The  fire  was  advancing  rapidly  and  the  game  was 
coming  up  fast.  A  small  herd  of  leucotis  crossed  the 
brook,  and  I  killed  another,  but  the  smoke  had  become  so 
thick  that  I  was  nearly  blinded.  It  was,  at  length,  impos- 
sible to  see ;  the  roar  of  the  fire  and  heat  were  terrific,  as 
the  blast  swept  before  the  advancing  flames  and  filled  the 
air  and  eyes  with  fine  black  ashes.  I  literally  had  to  turn 
and  run  hard  into  fresher  atmosphere  to  get  a  gasp  of  cool 
air  and  to  wipe  my  streaming  eyes.  Just  as  I  emerged 
from  the  smoke  a  leucotis  came  past  and  received  both  the 
right  and  left  bullets  in  a  good  place  before  it  fell.  The 
fire  reached  the  stream,  and  at  once  expired.  The  wind 
swept  the  smoke  on  before  and  left  in  view  the  black  sur- 
face that  had  been  completely  denuded  by  the  flames. 

"  The  natives  had  killed  many  antelopes,  but  the  rhinoce- 
ros had  gone  through  their  nets  like  a  cobweb.  Several 
bufialoes  had  been  seen,  but  they  had  broken  out  in  dif- 
ferent directions.  Lieutenant  Baker  had  killed  three 
leucotis,  Abd-el-Kader  had  killed  one  and  had  hit  a 
native  in  the  leg  with  a  bullet  while  aiming  at  a  gallop- 
ing antelope.  I  had  killed  five.  I  doctored  the  native,^ 
and  gave  him  some  milk  to  drink,  and  his  friends  carried 
him  home.  This  was  a  very  unfortunate  accident,  and  from 
that  day  the  natives  gave  Abd-el-Kader  a  wide  berth. 

"  Most  of  the  women  were  heavily  laden  with  meat,  the 
nets  were  quickly  gathered  up,  and  with  whistles  blowing 
as  a  rejoicing,  the  natives  returned  homeward." 


310  A  SECOND   HUNT. 

The  time  now  passed  very  pleasantly  at  Fatiko,  and  on 
the  30th  of  December,  Baker  went  out  again  to  hunt  with  a 
few  natives  in  order  to  obtain  some  meat.  About  a  half  an 
hour  after  they  were  in  position  the  whistles  sounded — the 
smoke  began  to  ascend,  and  soon  a  long  line  of  fire  stretched 
across  the  plain  and  moved  slowly  toward  them.  Shots 
were  now  heard  in  various  directions,  and  the  game  began  to 
break  cover  in  herds  of  several  hundreds.  Baker  could  see 
the  game  and  heard  the  firing  along  the  line,  but  did  not 
get  a  shot.  At  length,  however,  he  saw  a  buck  antelope 
walking  slowly  straight  toward  him,  and  he  exf)ected  in  a 
few  minutes  to  have  him  within  range,  when  he  says : 

"  Just  at  that  moment  I  saw  a  long,  yellow  tail  rise  sud- 
denly from  the  green  hollow,  and  an  instant  later  I  saw  a 
fine  lion,  with  tail  erect,  that  had  evidently  been  disturbed 
by  the  advancing  fire. 

"  The  lion  was  down  wind  of  the  buck  leucotis,  which 
was  now  close  to  the  unseen  enemy,  and  was  just  descend- 
ing the  bank  which  dipped  into  the  green  hollow ;  this 
would  bring  the  antelope  almost  upon  the  lion's  back. 
The  two  animals  appeared  to  touch  each  other  as  the 
leucotis  jumped  down  the  bank,  and  the  lion  sprang  to 
one  side,  apparently  as  much  startled  as  the  antelope, 
which  bounded  off  in  another  direction.  The  lion  now 
disappeared  in  the  high  grass,  with  the  head  toward  my 
position.  I  whispered  to  my  boys  not  to  be  afraid,  should 
it  appear  close  to  me,  and  at  the  same  time  I  took  the 
spare  gun  from  Bellaal  and  laid  it  against  the  ant-hill,  to 
be  in  readiness.  This  was  a  breech-loader,  with  buck-shot 
-cartridges  for  small  antelopes. 

**  In  a  few  moments,  I  heard  a  distinct  rustling  in  the 
high  grass  before  me.  The  two  boys  were  squatting  on 
the  ground  to  my  right. 

"Presently  a  louder  rustling  in  the  grass,  within  forty 


A   WOUNDED   LIONESS.  313 

yards  in  my  front,  was  followed  by  the  head  and  shoulders 
of  a  large  lioness,  who  apparently  saw  the  two  boys  and, 
with  her  brilliant  eyes  fixed,  she  advanced  slowly  toward 
them.  Not  wishing  a  closer  acquaintance,  I  aimed  at  her 
chest  and  fired  the  '  Dutchman.'  The  lioness  rolled  com- 
pletely over  backwards,  and  three  times  she  turned  convul- 
sive somersaults,  at  the  same  time  roaring  tremendously ; 
but,  to  my  astonishment,  she  appeared  to  recover,  and  I 
immediately  fired  my  left-hand  barrel.  At  this,  she  charged 
in  high  bounds  straight  toward  my  two  boys.  I  had  just 
time  to  snatch  up  my  spare  gun  and  show  myself  from  be- 
hind the  ant-hill,  when  the  lioness,  startled  at  my  sudden 
appearance,  turned,  and  I  fired  a  charge  of  buckshot  into 
her  hindquarters  as  she  disappeared  in  the  high  grass  from 
my  right.  I  now  heard  her  groaning  in  a  succession  of 
deep  guttural  sounds,  within  fifty  yards  of  me.  In  a  few 
minutes,  I  heard  a  shot  from  Abd-el-Kader,  and  he  shortly 
came  to  tell  me  that  the  wounded  lioness,  with  her  chest 
and  shoulder  covered  with  blood,  had  come  close  to  his 
hiding-place;  he  had  fired,  and  had  broken  her  ankle- 
joint,  but  she  was  still  concealed  in  the  grass. 

"Shooli  and  Gimoro  now  came  up  with  some  of  the 
natives,  as  they  had  heard  the  lioness  roar,  and  feared  some 
accident  might  have  happened.  These  were  very  plucky 
fellows,  and  they  at  once  proposed  to  go  close  up  and  spear 
her  in  the  grass,  if  I  would  back  them  up  with  the  rifles. 

"  We  arrived  at  the  supposed  spot  and,  after  a  search, 
we  distinguished  a  yellow  mass  within  some  withered 
reeds. 

"  Shooli  now  proposed  that  he  should  throw  his  spear, 
upon  which  the  lioness  would  certainly  charge  from  her 
covert  and  afford  us  a  good  shot,  if  the  guns  were  properly 
arranged. 

"  I  would  not  allow  this,  but  determined  to  fire  a  shot  at 


314  A   DESPEEATE   CHARGE. 

the  yellow  mass  to  bring  her  out,  if  every  one  would  be 
ready  to  receive  her. 

"Lieutenant  Baker  was  on  my  right,  with  a  double- 
barreled  express  rifle  that  'carried  a  No.  70  bullet.  This 
minute  projectile  was  of  little  use  against  the  charge  of  a 
lion. 

"  I  fired  into  the  mass  at  about  twenty  yards  distance. 
The  immediate  reply  was  a  determined  charge,  and  the  en- 
raged animal  came  bounding  toward  us  with  tremendous 
roars.  The  natives  threw  their  spears  but  missed  her. 
Mr.  Baker  fired,  but  neither  he  nor  a  left-hand  barrel  from 
the  *  Dutchman '  could  check  her.  Everybody  had  to  run, 
and  I  luckily  snatched  a  breech-loading  No.  12,  smooth- 
bore, loaded  with  ball,  from  a  panic-stricken  lad,  and  rolled 
her  over  with  a  shot  in  the  chest,  when  she  was  nearly  in 
the  midst  of  us. 

"  She  retreated  with  two  or  three  bounds  to  her  original 
covert. 

"  I  had  now  reloaded  the  '  Dutchman,'  and  having  given 
orders  that  every  one  should  keep  out  of  the  way,  and  be 
ready,  I  went  close  up  to  the  grass  with  Shooli,  and  quickly 
discovered  her.  She  was  sitting  up  like  a  dog,  but  was 
looking  in  the  opposite  direction,  as  though  expecting  an 
enemy  in  that  quarter.  I  was  within  twelve  yards  of  her, 
and  I  immediately  put  a  bullet  in  the  back  of  her  neck, 
which  dropped  her  head." 

She  measured  nine  feet  and  six  inches  from  the  nose  to 
the  extremity  of  the  tail.  Inside  her  were  the  remains  of 
an  antelope  calf,  divided  into  lumps  of  about  two  pounds 
each,  which  the  natives  distributed  among  themselves  as 
precious  morsels. 

The  women,  who  had  come  to  look  on  Bak«r  as  their 
protector,  and  were  haj)py  and  contented  under  his  rule, 
heard  of  his  encounter  with  the  lioness,  and  held  a  meeting. 


NEWS   OF   LIVINGSTONE.  315 

in  whicli  it  was  resolved  that  he  should  not  endanger  his 
life  again  in  this  way.  Mr.  Baker  jocosely  remarks  that 
this  was  not  "petticoat  government,  as  they  had  not  a  rag 
on  their  bodies,  but  it  was  an  assertion  that  they  meant  to 
protect  the  man  who  had  protected  them."  He  stayed 
here  seven  months,  and  says  that  perfect  order  prevailed — 
"  there  were  no  pickpockets,  because  nobody  had  a  pocket 
to  pick,  for  all  were  naked — there  were  no  vagrants,  beg- 
gars or  anything  to  require  a  police — there  were  no  cases 
of  divorce,  or  crim.  con.,  or  in  chancery — no  high  church 
or  low  church — no  Dissenters,  or  Catholics,  or  Independ- 
ents— no  Jews  or  Gentiles — no  conflicting  interests — no 
dogmas  of  any  kind." 

To  his  great  disappointment,  he  had  obtained  no  direct 
news  from  Livingstone.  But  one  day  some  envoys  arrived 
from  the  great  King  Mtesa,  of  Uganda,  of  whom  Stanley 
speaks  in  such  enthusiastic  terms  in  his  next  and  last 
exploring  expedition  two  years  later.  Baker  had  written 
to  him  to  send  out  his  people  in  every  direction  in  search 
of  Livingstone.  These  envoys  reported  that  the  king  had 
dispatched  messengers  to  Ujiji,  who  learned  that  the  ex- 
plorer had  been  there,  but  had  crossed  the  lake  to  the 
west,  since  which  nothing  had  been  heard  of  him.  Baker 
immediately  wrote  a  letter  to  Livingstone,  and  gave  it  to 
these  envoys,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

"  FoET  Fatiko  (N.  lat.  3°  V,  E.  long.  32°  36'). 

February  13th,  1873. 
"  My  dear  Livingstone — 

"  Mtesa,  the  king  of  Uganda,  has  been  searching  for  you 
according  to  my  instructions  sent  to  him  in  June,  1872. 
He  also  forwarded  my  letters,  to  be  given  to  you  when  met 
with.  His  envoys  have  now  visited  me  at  Fatiko,  with  the 
report  that  Mtesa's  messengers  heard  of  you  as  having  for- 


316  AREIVAL   OF   EEIXFOKCEMENTS. 

merly  been  at  Ujiji ;  but  that  you  bad  left  that  station  and 
had  crossed  the  Tanganika  to  the  west.  Nothing  more 
is  known  of  you.  I  have  sent  a  soldier  with  the  envoys 
who  convey  this  letter ;  he  will  remain  with  Mtesa.  *   "^  * 

"  Mtesa  will  take  the  greatest  care  of  you.  He  has  be- 
haved very  well  to  the  government.     *     *     * 

"  I  trust,  my  dear  Livingstone,  that  this  letter  may  reach 
you.  Do  not  come  down  the  lake.  It  is  now  well  known 
that  the  Tanganika  is  the  Albert  Nyanza;  both  known 
as  the  great  M'wootan  N'zige. 

"  A  steamer,  I  trust,  will  be.  on  the  lake  this  year. 
"  Ever,  most  sincerely, 

"  Samuel  W.  Bakek.,  H.  H." 

Nothing  better  shows  how  uncertain  all  communication 
is  in  Africa  than  this  message  of  the  envoy's  and  Baker's 
letter.  Mtesa's  dominions  are  not  far  distant  from  the  very 
lake  of  which  Ujiji  is  the  chief  port,  where  Stanley  found 
Livingstone,  more  than  two  years  before,  and  with  him  ex- 
plored a  large  portion  of  it.  Still  this  report  was  doubt- 
less true,  and  the  last  departure  of  Livingstone  referred  to 
was  the  one  taken  after  Stanley  had  left.  This  letter  not 
only  reached  Mtesa,  but  the  latter  sent  an  answer  back  the 
whole  way  to  Gondokoro. 

No  word  had  been  received  respecting  the  reinforcements 
he  had  sent  for,  and  Baker  began  to  despair,  when,  at  last, 
at  the  end  of  three  months,  they  arrived,  though  bringing 
no  cattle  with  them.  Tayib  Agha,  the  officer  in  charge  of 
them,  had  shown  his  utter  unfitness  to  command  troops, 
for  not  only  had  the  Baris  attacked  him  and  killed  twenty- 
eight  of  his  men,  but  stripped  the  bodies  and  left  them 
unburied,  and  carried  off  all  the  cattle. 

Baker  had  noAV  six  hundred  and  twenty  men,  and  he  at 
once  reinforced  the  various  stations.     He  also  wrote  out  a 


RELEASE  OF  THE  CAPTIVES.  319 

code  or  set  of  rules  to  govern  Major  Abdullah,  who  was  to 
remain  in  command  at  Fatiko,  and  turned  his  face  home- 
ward. He  had  placed  under  his  protection  a  number  of 
women  and  girls  of  the  Baris  tribe,  whom  the  Egyptian 
officers  had  pressed  into  their  service  to  carry  loads  for 
them  in  their  former  journey  from  Gondokoro  to  Fatiko, 
and  now  took  them  back  with  him.  Their  captors  had 
intended  to  make  perpetual  slaves  of  them,  but  Baker 
determined  to  restore  them  to  their  homes.  On  their  way 
back  he  directed  them  to  tell  him  when  they  came  into 
their  native  country.  One  day,  as  they  halted  under  a 
large  tree  for  breakfast,  about  two  miles  from  Gondokoro, 
the  women  and  children  approached  in  a  timid  and  hesi- 
tating manner  and  told  him  that  this  was  their  country  and 
that  their  villages  were  near  by.  They  evidently  had  never 
fully  believed  him,  which,  he  said,  hurt  him  exceedingly. 
Looking  at  them  sorrowfully,  he  exclaimed,  "  Go,  my  good, 
women,  and  when  you  arrive  at  your  homes  explain  to 
your  people  that  you  were  captured  entirely  against  my 
will,  and  that  I  am  only  happy  to  have  released  you." 
For  awhile  they  stood  bewildered,  and,  looking  around,  as 
if  hardly  believing  him  to  be  in  earnest.  The  next  instant, 
as  the  whole  truth  flashed  on  their  dazed,  overwhelmed 
hearts,  they  rushed  on  him  in  a  body,  and  before  he  had 
time  to  think  what  they  were  about,  a  "  naked  beauty " 
threw  her  arms  about  his  neck  and  almost  smothered  him 
with  kisses,  ending  by  licking  both  his  eyes  and  tongue  in 
a  manner  far  more  affectionate  than  agreeable.  If  the 
sentries  and  servants  had  not  come  to  his  rescue,  both  he 
and  his  wife  would  have  been  subjected  to  the  same  exhi- 
Iditions  of  affection  and  gratitude  from  each  member  of  the 
naked  group. 

After  a  few  words  of  explanation  to  them,  he  gave  each 
a  present  of  beads,  when,  with  hearts  overflowing  with  joy, 


320  A  MISSIONARY   OUTFIT. 

they  went  singing  on  their  way  homeward,  to  meet  friends 
and  relatives  they  never  expected  to  see  again. 

Liberating  seven  hundred  slaves  that  were  on  their  way 
down  the  Nile,  he  at  last  reached  Souakim,  and  took  ship 
for  Suez.  Narrowly  escaping  wreck  on  the  voyage,  he  at 
length  arrived  safely  at  Cairo,  and  laid  his  report  before 
the  khedive,  and  also  his  complaint  and  charges  against 
Abou  Saood. 

In  conclusion,  he  states  what  he  has  done,  and  says  that 
if  the  khedive  will  now  do  his  duty,  the  slave  trade,  by  way 
of  the  Nile,  will  be  suppressed,  civilization  extended  to  the 
equator,  and  the  whole  vast  rich  and  populous  country  be 
opened  to  commerce  and  the  missionary.  Speaking  of  the 
latter,  he  says  that  devotional  exercises  he  may  introduce 
should  be  chiefly  musical,  and  all  psalms  should  be  set  to 
lively  tunes,  which  the  natives  would  learn  readily.  More- 
over, the  missionary  should  have  a  never-failing  supply  of 
beads,  copper  rods,  brass  rings  for  arms,  fingers  and  ears, 
gaudy  cotton  handkerchiefs,  red  or  blue  blankets,  zinc, 
mirrors,  red  cotton  shirts,  to  give  his  parishioners,  and  ex- 
pect nothing  in  return,  and  he  would  be  considered  a  great 
man,  whose  opinion  would  carry  considerable  weight,  pro- 
vided he  only  spoke  of  subjects  which  he  thoroughly  un- 
derstood. He  should  have  also  a  knowledge  of  agriculture, 
and  carry  with  him  seeds,  tools  and  implements  of  labor. 

He  and  Stanley  seem  to  have  views  very  similar  con- 
cerning missionary  labors,  and  though  they  are  not  exactly 
of  the  orthodox  kind,  they  evidently  are  very  practical. 

In  his  ofiicial  report  of  the  conduct  of  those  who  shared 
with  him  the  dangers  and  responsibiUties  of  the  expedition, 
he  thus  speaks  of  his  noble  wife :  "  Lastly,  I  must  ac- 
knowledge the  able  assistance  that  I  have  received,  in  com- 
mon with  every  person  connected  with  the  expedition,  from 
my  wife,  who  cared  for  the  sick  when  we  were  without  a 


A   HANDSOME  TRIBUTE.  321 

medical  man,  and  whose  gentle  aid  brought  comfort  to 
many  whose  strength  might  otherwise  have  failed.  In 
moments  of  doubt  and  anxiety  she  was  always  a  thought- 
ful and  wise  counselor,  and  much  of  my  success,  through 
long  years  passed  in  Africa,  is  due  to  my  devoted  com- 
panion." 

A  handsome,  well-deserved  tribute  to  the  wife  who,  in 
danger,  sickness  and  battle,  had  ever  stood  by  him  with  the 
same  fearless,  devoted  heart.  He  retired  from  his  arduous 
work  feeling  that  he  had  opened  a  great  future  to  Africa. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

CAMERON'S  EXPEDITION— ITS  OEIGIN— CHANGE  OF  LEADERS— DIFFICULTIES  AT  THE  OUTSEl^^ 
START — A  TALL  AND  MANLY  RACE — NAKED  SAVAGES — NEWS  FROM  LIVINGSTONE — A  METHU- 
SELAH—THE COUNTRY  IMPROVED— UNYANYEMBE  REACHED — OCCUPIES  STANLEY'S  HOUSE— A 
SLAVE  AUCTION — SICKNESS  AND  DISCOURAGEMENTS— A  STUNNING  BLOW — LIVINGSTONE  DEAD — 
DEATH  OF  DILLON— DESPONDENT  THOUGHTS— A  DESPERATE  RESOLVE— CROSSING  THE  LUGUN- 
GWA— UJIJI. 

THE  English  government  having  refused  to  send  out 
an  expedition  in  search  of  Livingstone,  the  Boyal 
Geographical  Society,  of  London,  determined  to  dispatch 
one,  and  raised  the  money  necessary  to  carry  it  out  by 
subscription.  But,  before  it  started,  the  news  that  Stanley 
had  discovered  him  having  been  received,  the  commander 
of  it,  Lieutenant  Dawson,  resigned.  Another  officer  was 
put  in  his  place,  but  he  also  resigned.  The  position  was 
then  given  to  Oswald  Livingstone,  son  of  the  great  ex- 
plorer. But,  before  the  expedition  was  ready  to  start,  he 
also  withdrew,  and  the  whole  attempt  to  reach  Livingstone 
was  abandoned.  At  length  it  was  resolved  to  use  what 
remained  of  the  subscriptions  to  the  expedition  to  organize 
another,  which  should  proceed  to  Dr.  Livingstone,  and 
place  itself  at  his  disposal,  to  be  used  by  him  in  completing 
the  great  work  of  exploration  to  which  he  had  been  de- 
Toted  for  the  last  six  or  seven  years.  To  the  command  of 
this,  Lieutenant  Cameron  was  appointed.  Taking  Dr. 
Dillon  with  him  as  surgeon,  he  left  England  on  the  last 
day  of  November,  1872 ;  but,  retarded  by  vexatious  delays 
and  sickness,  he  did  not  start  inland  from  Zanzibar  till 

February  of  the  next  year. 

322 


CAMEKON  S    EXPEDITION.  323 

~  Owing  to  the  faithlessness  of  a  man  named  Bombay, 
who  had  been  of  great  service  to  Speke,  in  his  expedition 
into  Central  Africa,  the  thirty  good  men  and  true,  which 
he  promised  to  obtain  for  him,  turned  out  to  be  the  off- 
scourings of  the  place.  Engaging  a  few  more  men  as 
carriers,  and  buying  six  dozen  donkeys,  he  left  Zanzibar 
on  the  2d  of  February,  1873,  and  set  sail  for  Bagomayo, 
where  he  arrived  the  same  afternoon.  This,  as  we  have 
seen,  is  the  principal  point  of  departure  for  caravans  to 
Unyanyembe  and  the  countries  beyond.  He  returned  to 
Zanzibar  on  the  11th,  to  receive  the  rest  of  the  stores  de- 
signed for  the  expedition,  which  had  just  arrived  from 
England,  and  where  Lieutenant  Murphy  joined  him. 

It  is  needless  to  go  over  the  delays  and  troubles  that 
followed  in  getting  away,  but  the  little  caravan  was  finally 
off  on  the  route  which  Stanley  had  taken  just  before  Mur- 
phy was  sick  with  the  fever,  and  had  to  be  carried  by  four 
men.  There  had  been  many  desertions,  and  vexatious 
delays,  and  changes ;  but  the  expedition,  at  this  time,  be- 
sides Cameron,  Dillon,  and  Murphy,  and  Issa,  the  store- 
keeper, consisted  of  thirty-five  azkari,  with  Bombay  as 
commander,  a  hundred  and  ninety-two  pagasi  or  carriers, 
six  servants  and  three  boys — in  all,  one  hundred  and  forty, 
besides  several  women  and  slaves,  which  some  of  the  men 
took  along.  There  was  also  twenty-two  donkeys  and  three 
dogs,  so  that  it  made  quite  an  imposing  little  caravan. 
Cameron  and  Dillon  had  each  a  double-barreled  rifle,  be- 
sides revolvers  and  a  double-barreled  fowling-piece,  which 
were  carried  by  the  men.  Murphy  also  had  two  double- 
barreled  guns.  The  men  had  arms  of  some  kind,  revolvers 
or  muskets,  except  a  few,  who  carried  spears  and  bows  and 
arrows.  Of  the  three  dogs,  Leo,  a  large,  singular-looking 
dog — Cameron's  special  favorite — was  admired  much  by 
the  natives. 


324  DIFFICULTIES   AT   THE   OUTSET. 

To  illustrate  the  difficulties,  and  vexations,  and  delays 
inseparable  from  traveling  in  Africa,  it  is  necessary  only 
to  state  that  while  we  chronicle,  the  start  here  on  the  30th 
of  May,  the  expedition  had  really  been  organized,  and  the 
men  under  pay,  for  a  whole  month.  And  even  now  in 
starting  there  was  a  wrangle  respecting  the  duties  of  each, 
not  so  much  because  of  the  burdens  being  unequal  to  be 
carried,  but  because  of  the  distinctions  in  rank  they  indi- 
cated. 

Through  rocky  gorges,  over  steep  mountains,  the  long 
caravan  now  wound  its  slow  way,  pressing  on  toward 
Ujiji,  in  the  neighborhood  of  which  Stanley  had  left  Liv- 
ingstone, and  where  they  expected  to  find  him.  The 
region  was  not  new,  for  Burton,  and  Speke,  and  Stanley 
had  been  there  before,  yet  the  progress  was  slow  and  diffi- 
cult— perhaps  as  slow  and  difficult  as  fifteen  years  before 
when  some  of  these  explorers  first  traversed  it.  There  had 
been  desertions  and  accretions,  till  now,  at  the  end  of  the 
month,  the  caravan  was  over  five  hundred  strong — destined, 
alas !  to  a  terrible  diminution  in  the  coming  months.  It 
passed  through  various  tribes,  the  different  characteristics 
of  which  were  not  very  noticeable,  till  they  came  to  the  Wa- 
dingo  tribe,  a  tall  and  manly  race,  despising  all  such  refine- 
ments of  civilization  as  clothing — the  men  and  many  of 
the  women  being  stark  naked,  with  the  exception,  perhaps, 
of  a  single  string  of  beads  around  the  neck  or  wrist.  One 
would  hardly  think  it  worth  while,  in  speaking  of  cloth- 
ing, to  guard  himself  against  the  charge  of  misrepresent- 
ing, or  of  using  unguarded  language  in  asserting  that  the 
natives  had  no  clothing,  by  saying  "  with  the  exception  of 
a  string  of  beads  around  the  neck  or  wrist." 

The  progress  was  slow  and  toilsome,  beset  with  innumer- 
able difficulties,  but  Cameron  was  borne  up  with  the  thought 
that  he  was  nearing  the  brave  Livingstone  every  day,  and 


NEWS   OF   LIVINGSTONE.  327 

would  soon  be  with  him  in  prosecuting  the  great  discove- 
ries on  the  immense  water  plateau  of  Central  Africa. 
Through  drenching  rains,  matted  swamps,  across  wide 
rivers  and  over  rugged  mountains,  accompanied  by  knavish, 
trustless  men,  met  at  every  step  by  extortionate  and  thiev- 
ing or  hostile  tribes,  he,  at  last,  camped  at  Kanyenze,  the 
largest  and  most  ancient  of  all  the  districts  in  Ugogo,  where 
he  received  a  visit  from  a  grandson  of  Magomba,  the 
head  chief,  who  invited  him  to  his  grandfather's  home. 
But  what  was  more  important,  he  met  here  a  caravan  bound 
to  the  sea-coast,  from  which  he  received  the  cheering  infor- 
mation that  Livingstone  was  alive  and  well,  though  they 
could  not  tell  his  exact  whereabouts. 

Moving  on  to  Kanyenze  he  found  a  camp  already  pro- 
vided for  him,  built  by  some  of  the  many  caravans  that 
pass  backward  and  forward  from  the  interior  to  the  coast. 
Cameron  found  Magomba  still  living,  who  was  the  chief  in 
power  when  Burton  passed  there,  in  1857.  He  was  said 
by  his  subjects  to  be  over  three  hundred  years  old,  and  to 
be  cutting  his  fourth  set  of  teeth.  Whether  this  extraor- 
dinary story  be  true  or  not,  it  was  evident  he  was  over  a 
century  old,  if  one  could  judge  by  his  grandchildren,  who 
were  gray  and  grizzled.  Livingstone  mentions  a  similar 
case,  showing  the  longevity  of  the  African  race,  the  man 
being,  he  said,  at  least  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  old. 

He  remained  here  several  days,  and  then  passed  on  to 
Khoko,  the  largest  settlement  he  had  yet  seen.  Noting  the 
peculiar  customs  of  the  people,  he  passed  on  to  Mgunda 
Mkali,  or  hot  field,  which  lay  between  him  and  Unyan- 
yembe,  paying  tribute  to  every  tribe  through  whose  terri- 
tory he  took  his  caravan.  This  last  country  was  only  just 
beginning  to  be  cleared  when  Burton  and  Speke  passed 
through  it,  but  now  there  were  large  tracts  of  cultivation. 
He  had  heard  that  Dr.  Livingstone  had  come  to  Unyan- 


B28  STANLEY   AND    LIVINGSTONE'S   HOUSE. 

yembe,  but  here  he  was  informed  by  an  Arab  caravan  that 
the  report  was  «ntrue.     Still  the  men  were  encouraged  at 
finding  themselves  safely  through  the  first  part  of  their 
journey.     The  villages  that  he  passed  for  the  next  few  days 
were  clean  and  well-built,  for  savages.     Through  tracts  of 
jungle  and  prairie  the  caravan  now  toiled  on,  the  monotony 
occasionally  relieved  by  a  snake  in  camp,  or  the  desertion 
of  a  man,  or  the  news  that  Mirambo,  a  warlike  chief,  was 
still  holding  his  own  against  the  surrounding  tribes.     At 
last,  in  the  forejDart  of  August,  he  reached  Unyanyembe. 
The  governor  conducted  him  to  a  house  which  he  had  for- 
merly lent  to  Stanley  and  Livingstone.   He  occupied  the  very 
rooms  where,  a  short  time  before,  these  intrepid  travelers 
had  sat  and  talked  over  the  field  of  future  explorations  and 
the  future  of  Africa.     The  Arabs  live  in  great  comfort 
here,  occupying  large  and  comfortable  houses,  surrounded 
with  gardens  and  fields,  but  still  troubled,  as  they  were  when 
Stanley  passed  through  it,  by  the  ravages  of  Mirambo. 
Here  a  part  of  the  men,  who  had  been  engaged  only  to  this 
point,  were  paid  off  and  departed  for  Zanzibar.     Cameron 
expected  to  hear  from  Livingstone  at  this  point  and  receive 
orders  to  proceed  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  but  was  disap- 
pointed.    A  large  auction  was  held  while  he  was  here,  to 
sell  the  effects  of  an  Arab  chieftain  who  had  been  killed  in 
battle.     After  the  sale  of  various  articles  the  slaves  were 
put  up.     They  were  led  around  and  made  to  show  their 
teeth,  to  cough  and  run,  and  exhibit  their  dexterity.    They 
were  all  semi-domestic,  and,  hence,  brought  high  prices — 
one  woman,  a  good  cook,  fetching  |200,  while  the  men 
ranged  from  $40  to  $80.     Cameron  stayed  here  from  the 
1st  of  August  to  the  latter  part  of  October,  he  or  some  of 
his  party  being  down,  most  of  the  time,  with  fever  or  some 
other  African  disease.     He  could  hear  no  tidings  from 
Livingstone,  except  that  he  was  somewhere  ahead.     Came- 


AN   UNPLEASANT   SITUATION.  329 

ron  was  anxious  to  proceed  at  once,  but  we  find  at  the  last 
moment  tlie  following  entry  in  his  jourmil,  which  shows 
the  unpleasantness  of  the  situation.  Writing  on  Aiigust 
23d,  Dillon,  who  was  usually  blessed  with  buoyant  spirits, 
commenced  his  letter : 

"  Now  for  a  dismal  tale  of  woe !  On  or  about  (none  of 
us  know  the  date  correctly)  August  13th,  Cameron  felt 
seedy.  I  never  felt  better,  ditto  Murphy.  In  the  evening 
we  felt  seedy.  I  felt  determined  not  to  be  sick.  *  I  will 
eat  dinner ;  I'll  not  go  to  bed.'  Murphy  was  between  the 
blankets  already.  I  did  manage  some  dinner ;  but  shakes 
enough  to  bring  an  ordinary  house  down  came  on,  and  I 
had  to  turn  in.  For  the  next  four  or  five  days,  our  diet 
was  water  or  milk.  Not  a  soul  to  look  after  us.  The  ser- 
vants knew  not  what  to  do.  We  got  up  when  we  liked, 
and  walked  out.  We  knew  that  we  felt  giddy ;  that  our 
legs  would  scarcely  support  us.  I  used  to  pay  a  visit  to 
Cameron,  and  he  used  to  come  in  to  me  to  make  com- 
plaints. One  day  he  said,  'the  fellows  have  regularly 
blocked  me  in — I  have  no  room  to  stir.  The  worst  of  it 
is,  one  of  the  legs  of  the  grand  piano  is  always  on  my  head, 
and  people  are  strumming  away  on  it  all  day.  It's  all 
drawing-room  furniture  that  they  have  blocked  me  in 
with.'  I  was  under  the  impression  that  my  bed  was  on 
top  of  a  lot'  of  ammunition  paniers,  and  I  told  Murphy  I 
was  sorry  I  could  not  get  away  sooner,  to  call  on  him  ;  but 
I  had  the  king  of  Uganda  stopping  with  me,  and  I  must 
be  civil  to  him,  as  we  should  shortly  be  in  his  country. 
Murphy  pretty  well  dozed  his  fever  off,  but  I  never  went 
'to  sleep  from  beginning  to  end.  We  all  got  well  on  the 
same  day,  about,  I  suppose,  the  fifth  (of  the  fever),  and 
laughed  heartily  at  each  other's  confidences.  The  Arabs 
sent  every  day  to  know  how  we  were,  or  called  themselves, 
bringing  sweet  limes,  pomegranates  or  custard  apples. 


330  A   LUDICROUS   SIGHT. 

"  September  8th. — We  have  had  a  second  dose  of  the 
beastly,  excuse  the  word,  fever.  On  the  morning  of  the 
third  day  of  our  attack  (about  the  seventh  of  Cameron's), 
I  saw  Murphy  get  up  and  steer  for  the  open  end  of  the 
room,  staggering  as  he  went,  and  endeavoring  to  get  clear 
of  a  lot  of  ammunition  which  had  been  emptied  from  the 
paniers,  but  he  failed  to  keej)  in  the  right  line ;  apparently 
seeing  he  must  go  on  to  the  'rock  ahead,'  he  staggered 
slower  and  slower,  taking  very  short  steps,  till,  coming  in 
contact  with  a  heap  of  empty  cartridges,  he  gradually  sub- 
sided on  the  top  of  them,  with  a  groan,  on  his  hands  and 
knees.  The  sight  appeared  to  me  to  be  so  ludicrous — a 
big,  powerful  fellow  not  being  able  to  get  out  of  a  room 
without  a  door  or  fourth  wall — that  I  laughed  as  loud  as 
my  prostrate  condition  would  admit  of.  This  had  the 
effect  of  bringing  him  to  his  senses,  and  he  struggled  to 
his  feet  and  balanced  himself  out.  The  whole  thing  must 
have  been  seen  to  have  been  appreciated,  and  by  one  in  a 
similar  state  of  helplessness  as  the  victim.  You  can't 
imagine  how  this  fever  prostrates  one.  A  slight  headache 
is  felt,  one  feels  that  one  must  lie  down,  though  one  does 
not  feel  ill.  The  next  morning  one  walks,  or  tries  to  walk, 
across  the  room ;  one  finds  that  one  must  allow  one's  body 
to  go  wherever  one's  foot  chooses  to  place  itself,  and  a  very 
eccentric  course  the  poor  body  has  to  take  sometimes  in 
consequence.  Drink !  drink !  drink !  cold  water,  milk, 
tea — anything.  Bale  it  out  of  a  bucket,  or  drink  it  out 
of  the  spout  of  the  tea-pot." 

Writing  himself,  on  September  20th,  with  his  troubles 
'uppermost  in  his  mind,  he  said : 

"I  am  very  savage  just  at  this  moment;  I  have  been 
trying  for  two  days  to  get  enough  men  together  to  form  a 
camp  a  short  way  out,  in  order  to  see  all  right  for  march- 
ing, and  all  the  pagosi  declare  they  are  afraid.     I  think  I 


STANLEY    BLIND.  331 

am  past  the  fever  here,  now ;  as,  although  I  have  had  it 
six  times,  the  last  attacks  have  been  getting  lighter,  and 
the  only  thing  bothering  me  now  is  my  right  eye,  which  is 
a  good  deal  inflamed,  but  I  think  is  getting  better.  It  was 
caused  by  the  constant  glare  and  dust  round  the  house. 

"  September  30th. — Here  I  am  still,  trying  to  make  a 
preliminary  start,  but  not  one  of  my  pagosi  will  come  in ; 
at  least,  I  can't  get  more  thaa  a  dozen  together  out  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  I  have  engaged,  and  I  can't  manage 
much  with  them.  I  am  still  greatly  bothered  with  my 
eye,  as,  if  I  use  the  other  much,  it  brings  on  pain. 

"  October  14th. — Just  able  to  try  and  write  again,  but  I 
have  been  quite  blind,  and  very  bad  with  fever  since  my 
last  words.  I  have  been  more  pulled  down  by  the  latter 
than  any  I  have  had  before,  and  was  feeling  very  much  as 
if  I  should  like  to  be  with  you  all  for  a  day  or  two.  I  am 
in  great  hopes  of  getting  out  of  here  soon,  now.  Dillon  is 
more  alive,  and  growling  at  not  getting  away.  I  am 
writing  this  bit  by  bit,  as  my  eyes  allow  me,  so  don't 
expect  much  sense  or  coherence  in  this  epistle." 

In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Clements  Markham,  he  wrote : 

"  September  15th. — We  have  all  been  down  with  fever 
since  we  have  been  here,  but  are  now  pulling  round  again. 
It  is  a  great  nuisance,  as  the  fever  makes  me  lose  my 
lunars ;  I  tried  directly  I  was  able  to  think  to  get  some, 
but  I  was  so  shaky  and  dazed  it  was  utterly  impossible. 

"Since  I  wrote  the  foregoing  I  have  been  down  with 
fever,  but  am  now,  thank  God,  clear  of  it.  We  are  wait- 
ing for  a  few  pagosi,  and  putting  our  donkeys'  saddle-bags 
to  rights,  prior  to  starting  for  Ujiji,  which  I  find  can  be 
reached  in  about  twenty-two  marches,  or  about  thirty  days. 
I  am  afraid  Dillon  must  go  back,  as  he  is  getting  quite 
Wind;  in  fact,  the  last  day  or  two  he  has  been  quite 
unable  to  read  or  write — one  eye  was  afiected  first,  and 


332  DILLON    TO   RETURN. 

now  the  other  is  going;  he  ought,  decidedly,  in  my 
opinion,  to  go  back,  and  I  have  strongly  advised  him  so 
to  do. 

"  September  20th. — It  is  something  dreadful,  this  waiting 
here.  Here  is  the  20th  of  September,  and  I  am  still 
bothered  by  the  lack  of  pagosi ;  if  I  had  been  well,  we 
should  have  been  away  weeks  ago;  but  out  of  forty-five  days 
I  have  had  one  fever  of  eight  days,  one  of  seven,  one  of  five, 
one  of  four,  and  am  now  just  getting  well  of  a  violent 
attack  of  headache  which  lasted  for  five  days,  and  of  course 
do  not  feel  particularly  bright,  so  I  have  only  had  sixteen 
days.  Dillon  is  much  better,  and  has  decided  to  go  on ; 
he  is  not  all  right  yet,  though. 

"  September  26th  and  27th. — Still  detained  by  lack  of 
pagosi,  but  I  hope  to  be  off  in  about  ten  days  or  so.  I 
have  just  had  another  attack  of  fever,  and  this  is  the  first 
day  I  have  been  able  to  do  anything.  Dillon  seems  to 
have  fever  every  other  day  nearly,  but  not  very  violently ; 
but  what  I  am  most  afraid  of  is  his  sight.  He  has  quite 
lost  the  use  of  his  left  eye,  and  has  occasional  symptoms  in 
the  right.  It  is  atony  of  the  optic  nerve ;  if  he  gets  quite 
blind  further  on,  I  do  not  see  my  way  of  sending  him 
back ;  in  fact,  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  greater  por- 
tion of  our  route,  and  he  himself  says  getting  back  to  a 
temperate  climate  would  be  the  only  thing  to  do  him 
good. 

"  September  29th. — Yesterday,  by  dint  of  great  labor  I 
got  together  sixteen  pagosi  at  about  2  P.  M.,  and  to-day 
I  hear  they  are  all  collected  at  Taborah,  and  afraid  to  go 
on,  and  I  am  here  with  my  tent  cleared  out  and  not  a  soul 
to  move  a  thing.  I  shall  go  mad  soon,  if  this  state  of 
affairs  continues.  I  am  thinking  of  going  on  by  myself  as 
light  as  I  can,  if  I  can  get  enough  of  the  pagosi  I  have 
engaged,  and  making  a  drive  some  how." 


STARTLING   NEWS.  335 

The  above  is  sufficient  to  show  how  constantly  they  were 
ill.  But  something  worse  than  delay  or  fever  now  oc- 
curred. The  object  of  the  whole  expedition  had  disap- 
peared forever.  Cameron  jots  down  in  his  journal:  "A 
sad  and  mournful  day  now  arrived."  As  he  was  lying  on 
his  sick-bed,  weak  and  languid  from  his  repeated  attacks 
of  fever,  his  head  dizzy  with  whirling  thoughts  of  home 
and  its  loved  ones  far  away,  and  with  the  thick-coming 
fancies  of  what  might  yet  be  in  store  for  him,  his  servant 
came  running  into  his  tent  with  a  letter  in  his  hand. 
Snatching  it  from  him,  he  asked  where  it  came  from. 
His  only  reply  was,  "  some  man  bring  him."  Tearing  it 
open,  he  read,  with  a  strange,  stunned  feeling,  the  following 
letter : 

"  'Ukhonongo,  October,  1873. 
"'Sir: 

" '  We  have  heard,  in  the  month  of  August,  that 
you  have  started  from  Zanzibar  for  Unyanyembe,  and  again 
and  again,  lately,  we  have  heard  of  your  arrival.  Your  father 
died  of  disease,  beyond  the  country  of  Bisa,  but  we  have 
carried  the  corpse  with  us.  Ten  of  our  soldiers  are  lost 
and  some  have  died.  Our  hunger  presses  us  to  ask  you 
for  some  clothes  to  buy  provisions  for  our  soldiers,  and  we 
should  have  an  answer,  that  when  we  shall  enter  there  shall 
be  firing  guns  or  not,  and  if  you  permit  us  to  fire  guns, 
then  send  some  powder.  We  have  wrote  these  few  words 
in  place  of  Sultan  or  King  Albowra. 

"*The  writer,  Jacob  Wainright, 
"*Dr.  Livingstone's  Expedition.' 

"  Being  half  blind,  it  was  with  some  difficulty  that  I 
deciphered  the  writing,  and  then  failing  to  attach  any 
definite  meaning  to  it,  I  went  to  Dillon.  His  brain  was  in 
much  the  same  state  of  confusion  from  fever  as  mine,  and 


33G  ARRIVAL   OF   LIVINGSTONE'S    BODY. 

we  read  it  again  together,  eacli  having  the  same  vague  idea 
— *  Could  it  be  our  own  father  who  was  dead.' 

"  It  was  not  until  the  bearer  of  the  letter,  Chuma,  Liv- 
ingstone's faithful  follower,  was  brought  to  us  that  we  fully 
comprehended  what  we  had  been  reading.  The  writer  had 
naturally  supposed  that  the  doctor's  son  was  the  leader  of 
the  relief  expedition.  We  immediately  sent  supplies  for 
the  pressing  needs  of  the  caravan,  and  dispatched  a  mes- 
senger to  the  coast  announcing  Dr.  Livingstone's  death. 

"  On  the  arrival  of  the  body,  a  few  days  later.  Said  ibn 
Salim  and  other  chiefs,  and  the  principal  Arabs,  without 
exception,  showed  their  respect  to  Livingstone's  memory 
by  attending  the  reception  of  the  corpse,  which  they  ar- 
ranged with  such  honors  as  they  were  able.  The  askari 
were  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  house  in  two  lines,  between 
which  the  men  bearing  the  body  passed ;  and  as  the  body 
entered,  the  colors,  which,  contrary  to  our  usual  custom, 
had  not  been  hoisted  that  morning,  were  shown  half-mast 
high. 

"Susi,  on  whom  the  command  had  devolved  on  the 
death  of  Livingstone,  brought  a  couple  of  boxes  belonging 
to  him,  and  his  guns  and  instruments.  He  also  stated  that 
a  box  containing  books  had  been  left  at  Ujiji,  and  that 
shortly  before  his  death,  the  doctor  had  particularly  desired 
that  they  should  be  fetched  and  conveyed  to  the  coast. 

"  Dr.  Livingstone's  death,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained 
from  the  description  given  by  his  men,  occurred  rather  to 
the  westward  of  the  place  marked  in  the  map  published 
in  *  Livingstone's  Last  Journal.'  He  had  been  suffering 
from  acute  dysentery  for  some  time,  but  his  active  mind 
did  not  permit  him  to  remain  still  and  rest.  Had  he  done 
so  for  a  week  or  two  after  his  first  attack,  it  was  the  opinion 
of  Dr.  Dillon,  upon  reading  the  last  few  j^ages  of  his  jour- 
nal, that  he  would  most  probably  have  recovered. 


EXPEDITION   BREAKING  UP.  339 

"  It  is  not  for  me  here  to  speak  of  Livingstone,  his  life 
and  death.  The  appreciation  of  a  whole  nation — nay, 
more,  of  the  whole  civilized  world,  will  testify  to  succeed- 
ing generations  that  he  was  one  of  the  world's  heroes. 

"  And  that  title  was  never  won  by  greater  patience,  self- 
denial  and  true  courage,  than  that  shown  by  David  Living- 
stone. 

"It  was  now  necessary  to  consider  what  course  they 
had  better  pursue,  since  he,  to  whom  they  were  to  have 
looked  for  guidance,  was  taken  away  from  them. 

"Murphy  resigned  his  position,  and  announced  his 
intention  of  returning  to  the  coast,  on  the  ground  that  the 
work  of  the  expedition  was  now  completed,  and  that 
nothing  further  remained  for  us  to  do. 

"  Dillon  and  Cameron  decided  upon  proceeding  to  Ujiji, 
and  securing  that  box  to  which  Livingstone  had  referred 
with  almost  his  last  breath,  and  after  having  safely  dis- 
patched it  to  the  coast,  to  push  on  toward  Nyangwe  to 
endeavor  to  follow  up  the  doctor's  explorations. 

"  They  now  redoubled  their  exertions  to  get  away,  and 
equipped  Susi  and  his  companions  for  the  march  to 
Bagomayo.  But,  unhappily,  Dillon  and  he  were  not 
destined  to  go  forward  together,  for  a  few  days  prior  to 
the  time  fixed  for  their  departure,  Dillon  was  attacked 
with  inflammation  of  the  bowels,  and  much  against  his 
wish,  felt  constrained  to  return  to  the  coast,  as  that  seemed 
the  only  course  which  gave  hope  of  recovery." 

Difficulties  crowded  at  this  time  very  heavily  about  our 
bold  explorer.  The  object  for  which  the  whole  expedition 
Avas  organized  could  not  nojv  be  secured.  He  could  only 
try  to  carry  out  the  purpose  as  he  understood  it  of  Dr. 
Livingstone.  It  was  a  difficult  position  in  which  he  found 
himself,  as  the  plan  and  design  of  the  expedition  having 
come  to  nought,  he  must  return  with  nothing  done  or  take  the , 


340  "westward  ho!" 

responsibility  of  attempting  what  miglit  prove  a  more  dis- 
astrous failure  still.  Besides,  not  expecting  to  go  beyond 
this  great  lacustrine  region  of  Central  Africa,  he  had  made 
no  arrangements  for  any  farther  exj^lorations.  But  still 
he  determined  that  a  movement  set  on  foot  by  the  Boyal 
Geographical  Society,  of  London,  should  not  end  in  nothing 
done,  and  he  resolved  to  move  westward  and  complete,  as  far 
as  possible,  Livingstone's  work,  and,  perhaps,  push  on  to  the 
Atlantic  coast.  His  whole  force  was  now  reduced  to  about 
one  hundred  men ;  yet,  with  these,  encouraged  by  the  suc- 
cesses of  Livingstone  and  Stanley,  he  determined  to  pro- 
ceed. It  was  a  condition  which,  in  its  sadness,  discourage- 
ment, and  the  fearful  forebodings  it  conjured  up,  might 
well  appall  the  stoutest  heart.  It  was  in  these  circumstances 
that  Cameron  showed  that  he  was  worthy  to  stand  beside 
Livingstone  and  Stanley,  as  one  of  the  most  intrepid  ex- 
plorers of  this  or  of  any  age.  In  very  simple  language, 
without  any  attempt  at  dramatic  eifect,  and  yet,  in  its  very 
simplicity,  dramatic  in  the  highest  sense,  he  says :  "On  the 
9th  of  November,  Livingstone's  caravan,  accompanied  by 
Dillon  and  Murphy,  started  for  the  coast,  whilst  my  cry 
was  'westward  ho !' " 

While  trying  to  enlist  men  to  compose  the  force,  with 
which  he  now  proposed  to  continue  his  march,  and  carry 
out  a  project  not  at  all  contemplated  beforehand,  he  re- 
ceived another  shock  by  the  arrival  of  a  messenger,  an- 
nouncing the  death  of  Dillon,  his  physician,  friend  and 
mainstay.  In  the  delirium  of  the  African  fever — some  fire- 
arms having  been  left  near  him — he  seized  a  pistol,  and 
placing  the  muzzle  to  his  head,  blew  out  his  brains.  Thus, 
discouragements,  one  after  another,  were  piled  on  him  to 
drive  him  back.  Not  only  was  the  main  object  of  the 
expedition  defeated,  but  his  physician,  on  whom  he  de- 
pended,  was   dead,  and   taken  from  him  under  circum- 


Dillon's  grave.  341 

stances  calculated  to  throw  a  gloom  over  all  his  plans. 
Not  only  was  he  now  left  alone  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  but 
he  himself  was  under  the  influence  of  this  same  deadly- 
fever,  which  might  end  just  as  tragically.  No  wonder,  in 
the  sudden  despondency  produced  by  this  irreparable  loss, 
he  said :  "  The  day  on  which  I  received  this  news  was  the 
saddest  of  my  life.  I  had  lost  one  of  the  best  and  truest  of 
my  old  messmates  and  friends ;  one  whose  companionship, 
during  the  many  weary  hours  of  travel  and  suffering,  had 
helped  to  cheer  and  lessen  the  diiEculties  and  vexations  by 
which  we  were  so  frequently  beset.  And  the  shock  so 
stunned  me,  in  my  enfeebled  state,  that  for  some  days  I 
appear  to  have  existed  almost  in  a  dream,  remembering 
scarcely  anything  of  the  march  to  Konongo,  and  leaving 
my  journal  a  blank."  No  wonder  that  he  felt  so  prostrated 
and  bewildered.  The  wonder  is,  that,  now  left  alone,  the 
only  white  man  in  the  party — the  expedition,  so  far  as  ac- 
complishing the  object,  being  a  failure — exhausted  by 
sickness,  and  depressed  by  the  loss  of  his  one  dear  friend — 
he  did  not  wheel  about  and  return  to  Zanzibar,  his  starting 
point,  instead  of  turning  his  face,  all  alone,  to  the  untrod- 
den wilderness  that  lay  between  him  and  the  unknown  to 
which  he  was  hastening.  i 

After  much  delay  and  troubles  with  his  men,  he  at 
length  started  forward,  and  soon  came  to  the  spot  where 
poor  Dillon  died.  He  tried  in  vain  to  find  where  he  was 
buried,  in  order  to  put  some  rude  monument  over  his 
grave.  He  found,  at  last,  that  he  had  been  buried  in  a 
jungle,  to  keep  his  grave  from  being  desecrated,  and  there 
the  true-hearted,  brave  physician  rests  to-day — adding  one 
more  to  the  number  of  those  who  have  sacrificed  their 
lives  in  the  attempt  to  solve  the  mystery  of  the  dark 
continent. 

It  was  now  December,  and  Cameron's  journal  between 


342  REACHES   UJIJI. 

this  and  Ujiji  is  very  similar  to  that  of  Stanley,  as  they 
passed  over  nearly  the  same  district  of  country.  He  took 
a  different  road,  however,  from  Stanley,  striking  westward 
between  his  route  and  the  direct  one  through  Mira  mho's 
country. 

He  remained  some  time  at  a  village  named  Hinnone, 
waiting  to  he  able  to'  steer  clear  of  Mirambo,  who  was 
carrying  on  war,  as  usual,  with  the  native  tribes.  Some- 
times he  was  sick,  sometimes  he  went  hunting,  and  would 
fetch  in  a  gazelle  or  zebra.  He  jots  down :  "  Christmas- 
day  passed  very  miserably.  A  heavy  rain  commenced 
the  day,  flooding  the  whole  village — the  ditch  and  bank 
round  my  tent  were  washed  away,  and  I  had  over  six 
inches  of  water  inside  it."  He  describes  the  huts  and 
modes  of  life  of  the  inhabitants,  manner  of  dressing  the 
hair  by  the  women,  etc.  Now  and  then  a  ludicrous  scene 
broke  the  monotony  of  his  dismal  journey.  One  day  he 
was  greatly  amused  by  seeing  one  of  his  guides,  who  had 
got  possession  of  an  umbrella,  strutting  along  under  it  with 
a  pompous  air.  "He  kejDfit  open  the  whole  day,"  he 
says,  "  continually  spinning  it  round  and  round  in  a  most 
ludicrous  manner;  and  when  we  came  to  a  jungle,  he 
added  to  the  absurdity  of  his  appearance  by  taking  off  his 
only  article  of  clothing — his  loin-cloth — and  placing  it  on 
his  head,  after  having  carefully  folded  it.  The  sight  of  a 
naked  negro  walking  under  an  umbrella  was  too  much  for 
my  gravity,  and  I  fairly  exploded  with  laughter."  Pass- 
ing village  after  village  made  desolate  by  the  slave-traders, 
he  kept  on,  crossing  river  after  river — among  others  the 
Lugungwa,  a  beautiful  stream,  which  had  cut  a  channel 
fifty  feet  deep  in  the  soft  sandstone,  and  not  more  than 
eight  feet  wide  at  the  top.  At  length  he  came  in  sight  of 
the  great  inland  sea  of  Tanganika.  He  had  finally 
reached  Ujiji.     His  first  inquiries  were  for  Dr.  Living- 


CROSSING   THE   LUGUNGWA   RIVER. 


ARRIVAL   AT   UJIJI.  345 

stone's  papers,  which  he  found  safe  in  the  hands  of  one  of 
the  chief  men  of  the  place. 

He  arrived  at  Ujiji  in  February  and  remained  there  till 
March,  when  he  set  out  on  a  long  cruise  around  Lake 
Tanganika,  which  continued  till  May.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  description  of  the  customs  and  manners  of  some 
of  the  tribes  that  live  on  its  shores,  his  journal  is  of  more 
value  to  the  geographer  than  to  the  general  reader. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

CAMERON  PUSHES  ON  TO  THE  LUALABA,  AND  RESOLVES  TO  FOLLOW  IT  TO  THE  SEA— IT  HA3  NO 
CONNECTION  WITH  THE  NILE  SYSTEM— NO  CANOES  TO  BE  HAD— TIPO-TIPO— HANDSOME  WOMEN 
— INQUISITIVENESS  OF  THE  WOMEN— STOPPED  BY  A  RUSE— INTEP.VIEW  WITH  KING  KASONGO — 
RESOLVES  TO  VISIT  SOME  CURIOUS  LAKES— ATTACKED  BY  THE  NATIVES — CONTRACTS  WITH  A 
SLAVE-TRADER  TO  TAKE  HIM  TO  THE  COAST— EXPLORATIONS  OF  LAKES— HOUSES  BUILT  IN  THE 
LAKES— DESCRIPTION  OF  KASONGO  ANT)  HIS  CHARACTER  AND  HABITS— HIS  HAREM— THE  RULES 
THAT  GOVERN  IT— THE  RELIGION  OF  THE  COUNTRY— A  CURIOUS  BRIDAL  CEREMONY— FLOATING 
ISLANDS— THE  CONGO  ROUTE  ABANDONED. 

CAMERON  now  resolved  to  push  on  to  the  Lualaba, 
and  thence  follow  the  Congo  down  to  the  sea.  His 
first  objective  point  was  Nyangwe,  where  he  expected  to 
obtain  canoes  for  the  voyage.  He  describes  the  natives  he 
met  on  this  route,  never  traveled  by  any  white  man  before 
but  Livingstone.  He  speaks  especially  of  Manyema,  and 
says  the  huts  were  ranged  in  long  streets — their  bright 
and  red  walls  and  sloping  roofs  differing  from  those  ^  ither- 
to  met  with.  And  in  the  middle  of  the  street  were 
huts,  palm-trees  and  granaries. 

On  the  1st  of  August  he  reached  the  Lualaba,  having 
been  two  months  on  the  road.  Where  he  struck  the  river 
it  was  fully  a  mile  wide,  dotted  with  islands  and  flowing  in 
a  broad,  turbid  current,  at  the  rate  of  three  or  four  knots 
an  hour.  The  next  day  he  floated  down  to  Nyangwe. 
Jumping  ashore,  he  entered  the  settlement  alone,  much  to 
the  astonishment  of  the  natives,  to  whom  this  sudden 
appearance  of  a  solitary  white  man  seemed  like  an  ap- 
parition. 

The  great  question  to  be  solved  now  was,  could  he  trace 
this  river  to  the  sea.    No  white  man  but  Livingstone  had 

346 


DIFFICULTIES   ABOUT   CANOES.  349 

ever  penetrated  to  this  remote  spot  before ;  and  -whetlier  lie 
should  go  farther  or  not  depended,  in  the  first  place,  whether 
he  could  get  canoes  and  men  to  work  them,  who  would 
consent  to  accompany  him.  That  the  Lualaba  had  no  con- 
nection with  the  Nile  system,  was  now  apparent  as  noon- 
day, independent  of  the  former  discussions  as  to  the  mean 
heights  of  this  stream  and  the  Nile.  Cameron  calculated 
that  the  volume  of  water  passing  Nyangwe  was  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-three  thousand  cubic  feet  per  second,  even 
in  the  dry  season,  which  is  five  times  greater  than  that  of 
the  Nile  at  Gondokoro,  Baker's  extreme  point  of  naviga- 
tion of  the  river,  where  it  was  only  twenty-one  thousand 
five  hundred  feet  per  second.  This  settled  the  fact  beyond 
all  controversy,  that  the  Lualaba  had  nothing  to  do  with 
the  Nile.  It  settled,  also,  another  fact,  that  such  a  stream 
now  evidently  on  the  western  slope,  could  have  no  connec- 
tion with  any  other  river  flowing  west  except  with  the 
Amazon  of  Africa,  the  Congo.  The  two  must  constitute 
one  river. 

After  Cameron  had  remained  a  fortnight  at  Nyangwe, 
one  of  the  expeditions  that  had  been  off"  after  slaves,  re- 
turned. The  men  composing  it  owned  the  canoes  that 
Mr.  Cameron  wanted,  and  he  immediately  entered  into 
negotiations  with  them  for  their  purchase,  but  they  would 
listen  to  no  offers  for  them.  He  now  began  to  despair, 
when,  one  day,  while  sitting  listlessly  in  front  of  his  hut, 
he  heard  the  sound  of  firearms,  and  knew  at  once  that 
another  marauding  party  was  returning.  It  proved  to  be 
the  advance-guard  of  Tipo-tipo,  whose  camp  was  near  a 
lake  called  Sankora.  Two  days  after  Tipo-tipo  himself 
arrived. 

"  He  was  a  good-looking  man,"  Cameron  says,  "  and  the 
greatest  dandy  I  had  seen  among  the  traders.  Notwith- 
standing he  was  perfectly  black,  he  was  a  thorough  Arab 


350  INQUISITIVE   WOMEN. 

in  his  ideas  and  manners."  He  advised  Cameron  to  re- 
turn with  him  to  his  camp,  where  he  could  easily  procure 
guides  to  Lake  Sankora.  So,  on  the  26th  of  August,  he 
commenced  getting  his  party  over  the  river,  j)reparatory 
to  start  with  Tipo-tipo  for  the  latter's  camp. 

Having  crossed  with  a  portion  of  his  men  and  haggage, 
he  left  the  everlasting  Bombay  of  Stanley  to  bring  over 
the  rest  with  the  stores.  But  Bombay,  true  to  his  instincts 
and  character,  had  returned  to  the  village  to  have  a  big 
drunk.  Cameron,  however,  determined  to  go  on  to  Tipo- 
tipo's  camp,  and  did,  though  on  the  way  he  had  such  an 
attack  of  fever  that  he  reeled  like  a  drunken  man  and 
could  scarcely  drag  one  foot  after  another,  they  having  be- 
come so  swollen  and  blistered  that  he  had  to  cut  open  his 
boots  to  get  relief. 

They  at  last  encamped  two  miles  from  Buzzuna's  village, 
a  friend  and  ally  of  Tipo-tipo.  This  chief,  with  a  half  a 
dozen  wives,  came  to  stay  near  him  while  he  remained,  and 
visited  him  frequently,  bringing  a  new  Avife  each  time. 
Cameron  says :  "  They  were  the  handsomest  women  I  had 
seen  in  Africa,  and,  in  addition  to  their  kilts  of  gray  cloth, 
wore  scarfs  of  the  same  material  across  their  breasts."  At 
first  they  were  afraid  of  him,  but  on  the  second  day  all 
their  timidity  disappeared,  and  they  began  to  examine  him 
very  curiously.  The  pictures  he  showed  them  soon  wearied 
them,  and  they  proceeded  to  investigate  him  personally. 
He  says:  "They  turned  up  the  legs  and  sleeping-suit 
which  I  always  wore  in  camp,  to  discover  whether  it  was 
my  face  alone  that  was  white."  They  prosecuted  their 
investigations  so  thoroughly,  that  he  saw,  if  there  was  not 
a  stop  put  to  it,  he  would  soon  be  stripped  naked,  and  he 
sent  for  some  beads  and  shells,  and  strewing  them  over  the 
ground,  sent  them  scratubling  after  them,  and  thus  escaped 
their  further  scrutiny.     Buzzuna,  when  he  came,  brought 


IMPOSING   COURT   CEREMONIES.  353 

with  him  a  handsomely-carved  stool,  on  which  he  sat, 
using  the  lap  of  one  of  his  wives,  seated  on  the  ground,  as 
a  footstool,  on  which  he  planted  his  feet. 

The  next  thing  "  in  the  programme"  was  to  receive  a 
visit  from  the  great  chief  or  king  of  the  district,  Kasongo. 
The  imposing  ceremonies  that  heralded  his  approach  would 
furnish  a  good  example  to  the  crowned  heads  of  Europe, 
who  in  nowise  differ  from  these  savage  negro  chieftains  in 
their  ridiculous  pageantry.  First,  each  sub-chief  arrived, 
preceded  by  drummers,  while  his  rank  was  proclaimed  in 
true  European  style  and  his  position  in  the  coming  re- 
ception made  known.  Then  drumming  and  shouting 
announced  the  approach  of  the  great  man  himself.  First 
came  a  half  a  dozen  drummers,  then  thirty  or  forty  spear- 
men, followed  by  six  women  carrying  shields,  and  then  his 
negro  majesty.  A  dance  followed,  and  then  a  talk  was 
held,  in  which  Cameron  informed  him  that  he  wanted  to 
visit  Lake  Sankora,  through  which  he  believed  the  Lualaba 
flowed. 

Two  days  after,  he  returned  the  visit,  and  was.  there 
informed  that  the  chief  of  the  territory  which  he  must 
cross  to  reach  the  lake  had  said  that  "no  strangers  with 
guns  had  ever  passed  through  his  country  and  never 
should,  without  fighting  their  way."  Cameron  then  cast 
about  to  see  if  he  could  not  get  to  the  lake  without  passing 
through  his  dominions.  Having  received,  as  he  thought, 
satisfactory  information  on  this  point,  he,  on  the  12th  of 
September,  set  out  with  his  guides.  From  these  he  ob- 
tained information  about  two  other  lakes  in  which  huts 
were  built  on  piles,  and  still  another  in  which  there  were 
floating  islands  covered  with  inhabitants. 

For  several  days  they  journeyed  through  a  fairly-popu- 
lated country,  "  with  large  villages  of  well-built  and  clean 
huts  disposed  iu  long  streets  with  bark-cloth  trees  planted 


354  ATTACKED    BY    THE   NATIVES. 

on  each  side" — all  the  streets  running  east  and  west.  The 
natives  seemed  friendly,  and  they  traveled  on  quietly  for 
several  days ;  but  this  friendly  conduct  at  last  changed, 
and  Cameron  found  his  road  ambushed  and  arrows  thickly 
falling  around  him.  He  learned  afterward  that  he  had 
been  mistaken  for  a  slave-trader.  He  finally  had  to  resort 
to  retaliation,  and  after  burning  one  hut  and  wounding  one 
man,  was  allowed  to  leave  quietly  the  last  village  where 
hostilities  had  been  commenced.  The  next  village,  how- 
ever, showed  the  same  hostile  feeling,  and  he  was  compelled 
to  kill  two  or  three  and  wound  several  more  before  peaceful 
relations '  could  be  established.  He  at  length  arrived  in 
King  Kasongo's  dominions,  where  he  found  a  trader  named 
Judah  Merikani,  who  had  traveled  the  country  extensively. 
He  had  seen  Livingstone,  Speke  and  Burton.  He  found 
here,  also,  a  Portuguese  trader,  but,  though  he  could  speak 
Portuguese,  he  was  an  old  and  ugly  negro. 

Here,  also,  he  made  an  agreement  with  a  man  named 
Alvez,  to  conduct  him  to  the  Atlantic  coast ;  but  as  the 
latter  said  he  could  not  start  under  a  month,  Cameron 
resolved  to  spend  the  intermediate  time — as  he  could  not 
reach  Sankora — in  exploring  the  neighboring  lake  of  Mo- 
heya,  in  which,  it  was  said,  houses  were  built  on  piles. 
But,  before  starting,  he  visited  Kasongo's  capital,  which 
was  about  a  hundred  rods  long  by  thirty  wide,  and  sur- 
rounded by  a  neat  fence  of  sticks  five  feet  high,  in  the 
centre  of  which  was  his  dwelling.  He  was  absent,  but  his 
chief  wife  received  him  courteously,  and  after  many  ques- 
tions as  to  where  he  came  from  and  what  he  wanted,  made 
him  take  off  his  boots  and  stockings,  that  she  might  exam- 
ine his  feet. 

After  some  parleying,  she  consented  to  give  him  a  guide 
to  Lake  Moheya.  He  started  on  the  30th  of  October,  and 
came  in  sight  of  the  lake  two  days  after,  and  in  it  found 


EXPLOKING  SOME  CURIOUS  LAKES.  355 

three  villages  built  on  piles,  besides  several  detached  huts 
scattered  over  its  surface.  He  could  get  no  canoes  to  visit 
them,  and  had  to  be  content  with  a  distant  view  of  them 
through  his  glass.  They  were  built  on  platforms  raised 
about  six  feet  from  the  water,  and  resting  on  piles  driven 
into  the  bed  of  the  lake.  Underneath  them  canoes  were 
moored,  while  men  could  be  seen  swimming  from  hut  to 
hut. 

Kasongo  not  arriving,  and  his  return  being  uncertain, 
he  determined  to  visit  some  other  curious  lakes  in  this 
region.  But,  before  starting,  he  gives  a  description  of  the 
large  district  of  Urua,  which  extends  from  this  point  to 
Lake  Tanganika.  This  vast  territory  is  governed  by  King 
Kasongo.     He  thus  speaks  of  him  and  his  religion : 

"  Kasongo,  or  the  chief  for  the  time  being,  arrogates  to 
himself  divine  honors  and  power,  and  pretends  to  abstain 
from  food  for  days  without  feeling  its  necessity ;  and  indeed 
declares,  that  as  a  god  he  is  altogether  above  requiring 
food,  and  only  eats,  drinks  and  smokes  for  the  pleasure  it 
affords  him. 

"  In  addition  to  his  chief  wife  and  the  harem  maintained 
in  his  private  inclosure,  he  boasts  that  he  exercises  a  right 
to  any  woman  who  may  please  his  fancy  when  on  his  jour- 
neys about  the  country ;  and  if  any  becomes  enceinte,  he 
gives  them  a  monkey-skin  for  the  child  to  wear,  if  a  male, 
as  this  confers  a  right  to  live  by  taking  provisions, 
cloth,  etc.,  from  any  one,  not  of  the  royal  blood. 

"  Into  the  inclosure  of  his  harem  no  male  but  himself  is 
allowed  between  sunset  and  sunrise,  on  pain  of  death  or 
mutilation ;  and  even  if  one  of  the  harem  should  give  birth 
to  a  male  child  during  the  night,  the  mother  and  infant 
are  bundled  out  immediately. 

"  His  principal  wife  and  the  four  or  five  ranking  next  to 
her,  are  all  of  royal  blood,  being  either  his  sisters  or  first 


356  KASONGO's   HAREM. 

cousins ;  and  amongst  liis  harem  are  to  be  found  his  step- 
mothers, aunts,  sisters,  nieces,  cousins,  and,  still  more  hor- 
rible, his  own  children. 

"  As  might  be  expected  from  such  an  example,  morals 
are  very  lax  throughout  the  country,  and  wives  are  not 
thought  badly  of  for  being  unfaithful ;  the  worst  they  may 
expect  being  severe  chastisement  from  the  injured  husband. 
But  he  never  uses  excessive  violence,  for  fear  of  injuring  a 
valuable  piece  of  household  furniture. 

"  When  Kasongo  sleeps  at  home,  his  bed-room  furniture 
consists  of  members  of  his  harem.  Some  on  hands  and 
knees  form  a  couch  with  their  backs,  and  others  lying  flat 
on  the  ground,  provide  a  soft  carpet. 

"  It  is  the  rule  for  all  Warna  to  light  their  fires  them- 
selves and  cook  their  own  food,  Kasongo  being  the  only 
one  exempt  from  this  observance ;  but  should  either  of  the 
men  appointed  to  do  this  service  for  him,  by  any  chance 
be  absent,  he  then  performs  these  duties  himself. 

"No  Warna  allows  others  to  witness  their  eating  or 
drinking,  being  doubly  particular  with  regard  to  members 
of  the  opposite  sex ;  and  on  pomb^  being  offered,  I  have 
frequently  seen  them  request  that  a  cloth  might  be  held 
up  to  hide  them  whilst  drinking. 

"  Their  religion  is  principally  a  mixture  of  fetish  and 
idolatry.  All  villages  have  devil-huts  and  idols  before 
which  offerings  of  pombe,  grain  and  meat  are  placed,  and 
almost  every  man  wears  a  small  figure  round  his  neck  or 
arm.  Many  magicians  also  move  about  with  idols,  which 
they  pretend  to  consult  for  the  benefit  of  their  clients; 
land  some  being  clever  ventriloquists,  manage  to  drive  a 
flourishing  business. 

"  But  the  great  centre  of  their  religion  is  an  idol  named 
Kunque  a  Banza,  which  is  supposed  to  represent  the 
founder  of  Kasongo's  family,  and  to  be  all-powerful  for 


STRANGE  BRIDAL  CEREMONY.  357 

good  or  evil.  This  idol  is  kept  in  a  hut  situated  in  a 
clearing  amidst  a  dense  jungle,  and  always  has  a  sister  of 
the  reigning  chief  as  a  wife,  who  is  known  by  the  title  of 
Mwali  a  Panga.  Kound  the  jungle  live  a  number  of 
priests,  who  guard  the  sacred  grove  from  all  profane  in- 
truders, and  receive  offerings  for  the  idol,  and  also  a  large 
portion  of  the  tribute  paid  to  Kasongo.  But,  although 
they  hold  this  official  position,  and  are  thus  intimately 
connected  with  all  the  rights  and  ceremonies  pertaining  to 
the  deity,  they  are  not  permitted  to  set  eyes  uj^on  the  idol 
itself,  that  privilege  being  reserved  for  its  wife  and  the 
reigning  sovereign,  who  consults  it  on  momentous  occa- 
sions, and  makes  offerings  to  it  upon  his  accession,  and 
after  gaining  any  great  victory  over  his  adversaries.  Not- 
withstanding my  efforts,  I  could  not  discover  the  exact 
position  of  this  idol's  habitation,  but  am  perfectly  convinced 
of  its  existence,  as  all  the  accounts  I  received  were  pre- 
cisely similar  on  all  material  points." 

As  there  appeared  no  prospect  of  Kasongo's  return, 
Cameron  asked  the  queen  for  guides  to  visit  Lake  Kasali, 
that  he  had  heard  of.  She  promised  to  do  so,  but  kept 
deferring  taking  any  steps  in  the  matter  till  he  got  wearied 
out,  and  securing  a  guide  himself,  started  off. 

Arriving  at  a  village  on  the  way,  he  witnessed  a  curious 
bridal  ceremony.  A  head  man  and  a  niece  of  the  chief 
were  to  be  married.  The  first  day  of  the  ceremony  was 
devoted  to  dancing,  in  which  yells,  and  shouts,  and  rude 
music  made  a  continual  din  from  morning  till  night.  The 
next  day  the  bridegroom  danced  alone  for  an  hour,  when  a 
circle  was  formed,  and  the  bride,  a  child  nine  years  old, 
was  brought  in  on  the  shoulders  of  a  woman  and  given 
some  tobacco  and  beads  by  the  bridegroom.  "  After  this 
ceremony  was  concluded,  the  bride  was  set  down  and 
danced  with  the  bridegroom,  going  through  the  most  ob- 


358  FLOATING   ISLANDS. 

scene  gestures  for  about  ten  minutes,  when  he  picked  her 
up,  and  tucking  her  under  his  arms,  walked  her  off  to  his 
hut."  The  dancing  and  yelling  continued,  and  was  still 
going  on  when  Cameron  left  next  day. 

He  at  length  came  to  a  village  in  sight  of  the  lake,  but 
there  the  wife  of  the  chief  forbade  his  farther  advance. 
The  husband  was  with  Kasongo,  and  thither  Cameron  sent 
messengers  to  get  permission  to  proceed  to  the  lake,  but 
could  not  obtain  one.  He  sent  some  of  his  men,  however, 
to  it,  who  reported  that  a  large  number  of  natives  lived  on 
floating  islands  in  it.  These  were  made  of  "  large  pieces 
of  tingi-tingi,  cut  from  the  masses  with  which  the  shore  is 
lined."  On  these,  logs  and  brushwood  are  placed  and 
covered  with  earth.  Huts  are  then  built  and  bananas  are 
planted,  while  goats  and  poultry  are  reared  upon  them. 
They  were  usually  moored  to  stakes  driven  into  the  bed  of 
the  lake,  that  are  pulled  up  when  the  people  wish  to  shift 
their  locality,  and  lines  thrown  around  other  stakes,  by 
which  the  heavy  mass  is  slowly  towed  along. 

When  Cameron  returned,  he  asked  Alvez  when  they 
could  start.  He  replied  he  was  all  ready  whenever  Ka- 
songo got  back.  This  was  in  December,  but  Kasongo  did 
not  return  till  the  end  of  next  month,  and  even  then  he 
was  delayed  by  the  falsehood  and  cowardliness  of  Alvez. 
Kasongo  received  him  with  barbaric  ceremony,  and  he 
thought  he  would  now  soon  be  off.  But  he  was  destined 
to  disappointment.  This  savage  king,  who  thought  him- 
self the  greatest  man  in  the  world,  seemed  in  no  haste  to 
lose  his  novel  guest — while  he  absolutely  refused  to  give 
his  consent  to  let  him  visit  Lake  Sankora. 

Cameron  was  now  compelled,  with  great  reluctance,  to 
give  up  his  cherished  plan  to  trace  the  Congo  to  its  mouth, 
and  to  seek  the  Atlantic  coast  in  another  direction  by 
land. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  DEPAETUKE— CHARACTER  OF  THE  CARAVAN— HORRIBLE  CEREMONIES  AT  THE  BTTRIAL  OP  A 
CHIEF  OF  URUA— START  OF  THE  CARAVAN— ITS  BAD  CONDUCT— JOINED  BY  A  SLAVE-GANG— ITS 
SORROWFUL  APPEARANCE— THE  CAMPS  OF  THE  CARAVAN— DREARY  MARCHING— APPEARANCE 
OF  THE  COUNTRY— NAKED  WOMEN  DRESSING  THEIR  HAIR  ELABORATELY- ARRIVAL  AT  ALVEZ 
VILLAGE— THE  LUXURY  OF  COFFEE,  ONIONS  AND  SOAP— REDUCED  STATE  OF  CAMERON'S  MEN- 
REACHES  A  PORTUGUESE  TRADER'S  HOUSE— A  FESTIVAL— A  LASCIVIOUS  DANCE— BEAUTIFUL 
SCENERY- INTERVIEW  WITH  KING  KONGO— CAMERON'S  SUFFERINGS  BEGIN— DESPERATE  CON- 
DITION—A FORCED  MARCH  TO  THE  SEA  WITH  A  FEW  MEN— FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  SEA— HIS  WEL- 
COME—HIS DANGEROUS  SICKNESS— VISIT  TO  THE  CONSUL  AT  LOANDA— MEN  SENT  TO  ZANZIBAR— 
HIS  RETURN  HOME— THE  SLAVE  TRADE. 

CONSPIRACIES,  duplicity  and  falsehood  kept  delay- 
ing the  departure  of  the  caravan,  so  that  it  did  not 
get  off  till  the  25tli  of  February.  Thus  months  of  valu- 
able time  had  been  almost  entirely  wasted.  But  time 
seems  to  be  of  no  account  in  Africa,  and  the  great  object 
apparently  is  not  to  get  a  thing  donej  but  to  see  how  long 
they  can  keep  from  doing  it. 

The  undisciplined,  motley  caravan  to  which  he  intrusted 
himself  numbered,  at  the  outset,  some  seven  hundred ;  but 
before  they  left  the  kingdom  of  Urua,  Alvez  had  collected 
over  one  thousand  five  hundred  slaves  to  take  to  the  coast. 

They  marched  slowly,  and,  after  three  days,  reached  the 
village  of  Totelo,  where  another  long  delay  occurred,  in 
order  to  build  Kasongo  a  house,  whom  they  found  there. 
During  the  tedious  weeks  that  followed,  Cameron  busied 
himself  in  writing,  drawing,  taking  lunars  and  working 
them  out.  Evenings  he  would  stroll  out  with  his  gun  and 
shoot  guinea-fowl  and  wood-pigeons  to  replenish  his  larder. 
An  occasional  visit  to  one  of  the  chiefe  varied  the  monotony. 
He  says : 

359 


360         SAVAGE  FUNERAL  CEEEMONIES. 

"  I  also  busied  myself  in  collecting  a  vocabulary  of  Kirn  a 
and  in  inquiring  into  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
people,  and  by  this  means  became  acquainted  with  the 
ceremonies  observed  at  the  burial  of  a  chief  of  Urua,  which 
are  probably  unequaled  in  their  savagery. 

"  The  first  proceeding  is  to  divert  the  course  of  a  stream 
and  in  its  bed  to  dig  an  enormous  pit,  the  bottom  of  which 
is  then  covered  with  living  women.  At  one  end  a  woman 
is  placed  on  her  hands  and  knees,  and  upon  her  back  the 
dead  chief,  covered  with  his  beads  and  other  treasures,  is 
seated,  being  supported  on  either  side  by  one  of  his  wives, 
while  his  second  wife  sits  at  his  feet. 

"  The  earth  is  then  shoveled  in  on  them,  and  all  the 
women  are  buried  alive  with  the  exception  of  the  second 
wife.  To  her  custom  is  more  merciful  than  to  her  com- 
panions, and  grants  her  the  privilege  of  being  killed  before 
the  huge  grave  is  filled  in.  This  being  completed,  a 
number  of  male  slaves — sometimes  forty  or  fifty — are 
slaughtered  and  their  blood  poured  over  the  grave ;  after 
which  the  river  is  allowed  to  resume  its  course. 

"Stories  were  rife,  that  no  fewer  than  one  hundred 
women  were  buried  alive  with  Bambane,  Kasongo's  father ; 
but  let  us  hope  that  this  may  be  an  exaggeration. 

"  Smaller  chiefs  are  buried  with  two  or  three  wives,  and 
a  few  slaves  only  are  killed  that  their  blood  may  be  shed 
on  the  grave ;  whilst  one  of  the  common  herd  ha3  to  be 
content  with  solitary  burial,  being  placed  in  a  sitting  pos- 
ture with  the  right  fore-finger  pointing  heavenward,  just 
level  with  the  top  of  the  mound  over  his  grave." 

When  everything  at  last  was  ready  for  a  start,  Alvez 
insisted  on  going  through  a  ridiculous  ceremony  to  pro- 
pitiate the  sun  and  guard  them  against  fire  on  the  way. 
.  The  next  day,  however,  June  10th,  the  caravan  took  its 
departure,  and  in  its  march  through  the  country  plundered 


JOINED    BY   A  SLAVE   GANG.  361 

every  small  party  they  met  on  the  road,  robbing  fields  of 
their  fruit,  and  seizing  everything  they  desired  which  fell 
in  their  way. 

Thus  they  traveled  for  four  days,  crossing  four  rivers 
on  their  route.  The  country  during  this  time  had  been 
wooded  and  hilly,  but  they  now  came  to  a  succession  of 
level  plains,  indented  with  the  tracks  of  a  herd  of  ele- 
phants, that  Cameron  thought  must  have  numbered  over 
five  hundred  animals.  They  at  length  reached  the  village 
of  Lunga  Mandi,  where  Cameron  was  shown  the  spot  on 
which  the  first  white  trader  had  pitched  his  camp.  Leav- 
ing this  place,  they  made  a  march  and  came  to  a  village 
where  Coimba,  who  was  on  a  slave-hunt  for  Kasongo,  was 
to  join  them. 

He  came  up  in  the  afternoon  with  fifty-two  women,  tied 
together  in  lots  of  seventeen  or  eighteen.  Some  had 
children  in  their  arms,  others  were  far  advanced  in  preg- 
nancy, and  all  carried  heavy  loads.  They  were  footsore 
and  covered  with  welts  and  scars,  showing  how  unmerci- 
fully they  had  been  treated.  To  obtain  them,  ten  vil- 
lages had  been  destroyed,  containing  a  population,  in  all, 
of  one  thousand  five  hundred.  Alvez  claimed  a  part  of 
these  slaves,  to  pay  him  for  waiting,  and  they  were  given 
him. 

"  With  this  additional  amount  of  misery  "  engrafted  on 
the  caravan,  it  next  day  started  forward  again.  It  con- 
sisted of  several  camps — one  composed  of  Cameron  and  his 
men;  another  of  Alvez,  with  his  people  and  their  slaves; 
a  third,  of  Coimba,  his  wives  and  slave-gang ;  Bastian,  a 
fourth ;  two  indejDcndent  parties,  and  two  more,  made  up 
of  different  tribes,  completed  the  whole.  The  long  pro- 
cession moved  on  over  the  diversified  country  and  past 
numerous  villages  without  any  exciting  incident  to  vary 
the  tedious  monotony  of  the  journey,  and  came  at  last  to 


362 


A   DREARY   MARCH. 


Lupanda,  where  the  caravan  halted  a  day.  Here  Cameron 
had  some  conversation  with  the  natives,  as  well  as  trials  of 
physical  strength  in  holding  out  weights  at  arm's  length, 
in  which  he  excelled  them  all.  Keeping  on  their  south- 
western course,  they  at  length,  on  the  25th  of  July,  reached 
the  territory  of  Ulunda,  a  long,  narrow  strip  of  country, 
about  one  hundred  miles  wide  where  they  entered  it. 

The  next  territory  was  Lovali,  the  tedious  march  to 
which  was  varied  by  the  escape  of  a  number  of  slaves. 
Their  condition  was  becoming  fearful — the  ropes  that  con- 
fined them  were  eating  into  their  flesh,  while  some  of  the 
women  were  carrying  dead  infants,  that  had  died  from 
starvation.  Cameron  was  powerless  to  help  them,  and 
could  only  rejoice  at  the  escape  of  any. 

The  march  of  this  caravan  is  hardly  worth  recording. 
Starting  from  the  Lualaba,  and  striking  south-west  through 
an  unknown  region,  it  was  reasonable  to  expect  that  new 
and  interesting  revelations  would  be  made.  On  the  con- 
trary, the  scenery,  for  the  most  part,  possessed  but  little  in- 
terest, being  tame  compared  with  that  on  the  eastern  slope, 
as  the  traveler  approaches  the  great  lake  plateau,  with  its 
grand  mountain  ranges.  There  was  not  even  the  excitement 
of  forcing  their  way  through  hostile  tribes — for  the  caravan 
was  too  large  to  admit  of  resistance,  while  its  gang  of 
slaves  closed  every  village  which  they  passed  against  them. 
Hence  it  was  a  dreary,  monotonous  march  through  a  coun- 
try without  fine  scenery — past  villages  they  could  not  enter 
— without  incident,  and  remarkable  only  as  it  revealed  a 
vast  region  of  savage  life,  that  formed  a  part  of  a  great 
continent  thickly  populated,  over  which  is  spread  the  very 
blackness  of  darkness. 

Cameron  was  now  traveling  on  a  line  that  would  fetch 
him  to  the  sea  at  a  ratlier  sharp  angle.  To  state  it  more 
accurately,  he  had  started   at   about  five   degrees   south 


Livingstone's  tracks.  363 

latitude,  and  on  the  course  lie  was  taking  would  come  out 
nearly  fifteen  degrees  south  latitude,  or,  in  round  numbers, 
some  seven  hundred  miles  south  of  the  point  where  Stan- 
ley was  destined  to  emerge  on  the  Atlantic.  , 

Cameron's  account  of  the  march  through  the  Lovali 
country  is  perhaps  a  fair  specimen  of  the  whole  route  after 
he  left  the  Lualaba  till  he  reached  the  Portuguese  settle- 
ments on  the  Atlantic  He  says :  "  The  first  part  of  the 
Lovali  country  consisted  of  a  continuation  of  large,  open 
plains,  patches  of  forest  and  jungle,  and  many  neatly-built 
villages.  The  huts  were  square,  round  and  oval,  having 
high  roofs — in  some  instances,  running  into  two  or  three 
points."  The  marching,  lie  says,  was  free  from  any  variety. 
Delays  by  runaway  slaves — old  slave-camps  on  the  road — 
"  fetishes  "  of  the  natives — their  curious  customs,  were  the 
only  things  worth  noting. 

On  the  28th  of  August,  they  came  to  the  principal  vil- 
lage of  the  kingdom,  named  Katende.  Here  Cameron 
heard  of  Livingstone,  who  had  passed  through  this  place 
on  his  journey  across  Africa,  nearly  thirty  years  before. 
It  seemed  that  the  principal  impression  the  great  explorer 
made  on  the  natives  here  was  that  he  rode  an  ox. 

Cameron  was  now  getting  reduced  very  low  in  the  ar- 
ticles which  he  could  use  in  the  way  of  barter  to  procure 
what  he  wanted. 

The  caravan,  however,  pressed  steadily  on,  over  enormous 
plains,  which  are  flooded  in  the  wet  season,  and  arrived  on 
the  7tli  of  September,  at  the  vilhige  of  Sha  Kembe,  the 
last  in  the  district  of  Lovali,  through  which  they  had  been 
so  long  marching.  He  describes  the  customs  of  the  natives 
here,  and  says :  "  The  women  devote  most  of  their  time  to 
dressing  their  hair,  which  is  a  very  elaborate  performance, 
and  when  finished  is  plastered  with  grease  and  clay,  and 
made  permanently  smooth  and  shiny."  With  regard  to  their 


364  LUXURY   OF   SOAP. 

attentions  to  the  adornment  of  other  portions  of  their 
bodies,  he  says :  "  That  a  stick  of  tape  would  have  clothed 
the  female  population  of  a  half  a  dozen  villages." 

Caravans  were  frequently  met,  but  no  news  could  be  ob- 
tained from  the  outside  world. 

At  length,  in  the  forepart  of  October,  the  caravan  arrived 
at  the  village  where  Alvez  lived,  who  was  received  by  the  in- 
habitants with  shouts  and  yells,  and  a  general  drunk  followed. 
Here  the  carriers  were  paid  ofiP,  and  Cameron  began  to  cast 
about  for  new  guides  to  the  coast.  He  stayed  here  a  week, 
which,  compared  with  those  that  made  up  the  last  year,  was 
one  of  luxury,  for,  on  being  well  j)aid,  Alvez  supplied  him 
with  coffee,  onions  and  soap.  This  last  article  he  had  been 
without  for  a  year,  and  he  gave  himself  a  thorough  cleans- 
ing, which  greatly  revived  him.  Alvez's  settlement  was 
very  much  like  those  of  the  natives,  except  some  of  the 
huts  were  larger. 

Cameron  was  now  approaching  Portuguese  settlements, 
near  the  coast,  and  it  was  necessary  to  buy  provisions  for 
the  march,  and  clothes  to  clothe  his  people  before  en- 
tering civilized  society.  All  his  European  cloth  had  dis- 
appeared, and  his  men  were  dressed  in  rags  of  grass  cloth, 
often  so  scant  that  the  wearers  might  as  well  have  been 
stark  naked.  Alvez  supplied  his  wants,  but  cheated  him 
in  doing  so.  Cameron,  however,  felt  he  was  at  his  mercy 
and  paid  him  his  prices,  and  was  finally  off  on  the  10th  of 
October.  He  was  glad  to  get  rid  of  him  and  his  great 
caravan,  with  its  suffering  slaves,  and  turned  his  face  reso- 
lutely toward  the  coast.  After  passing  several  villages,  he 
came  to  the  town  of  Kagnombe,  the  largest  he  had  yet 
seen — being  three  miles  in  circumference.  A  ceremonial 
visit  to  the  braggart  chief  of  it  ended  in  the  latter  getting 
beastly  drunk,  when  Cameron  wandered  about  the  town 
noting  the  peculiarities  of  the  place  and  its  savage  customs. 


A   LASCIVIOUS   DANCE.  367 

The  next  morning,  after  a  walk  of  a  few  hours,  he  ar- 
rived at  the  settlement  of  Senor  Goncalves,  a  Portuguese, 
who  had  formerly  been  master  of  a  ship,  but  had  finally 
settled  down  in  this  remote  region.  He  owned  six  villages, 
the  inhabitants  of  which  were  practically  his  slaves.  Each 
one  furnished  a  caravan,  by  which  he  kept  up  a  brisk  trade 
with  the  coast,  and  lived  in  luxury  and  comfort  here,  in 
the  healthy  uplands  of  Bibi.  For  the  first  time  for  nearly 
two  years  Cameron  now  slept  between  sheets. 

It  was  a  long  and  weary  distance  yet  to  the  coast,  but 
somewhat  refreshed  by  this  slave-trader's  hospitality,  he 
set  off  again,  and  passing  village  after  village,  at  length 
came  to  Lungi,  where  there  was  to  be,  the  day  after  his 
arrival,  an  important  festival,  and  as  a  natural  consequence 
a  big  drunk.  Of  course,  his  men  refused  to  travel  till  it 
was  over.  At  the  aj)pointed  time,  the  inhabitants  assem- 
bled under  a  huge  banyan  tree,  and  began  to  sing,  and 
dance,  and  drink  their  pomb^.  The  men  and  women 
danced  together,  their  suggestive  motions  being  accom- 
panied by  ribald  songs,  and  the  scene  was  one  of  licentious- 
ness almost  beyond  belief.  It  was  one  of  those  scenes  that 
exhibit  in  the  strongest  colors  the  utter  debasement  of  the 
savage  tribes  of  Africa. 

He  had  some  difiiculty  in  getting  away  from  here,  owing 
to  the  rheumatism  and  swollen  feet  of  many  of  his  people, 
caused  by  the  wet  and  cold.  At  length  they  were  off,  and 
he  says : 

"  Almost  directly  after  starting,  we  came  upon  rocky 
hills,  with  brawling  burns  rushing  along  their  rugge<l 
courses,  and  here  and  there  falls,  from  twenty  to  thirty 
feet  in  height,  the  crystal  water  sparkling  in  the  sunlight, 
as  it  dashed  from  crag  to  crag.  Large  tree  ferns  grew  on 
the  banks,  and  amongst  (he  bushes  were  myrtle,  jasmines 
and  other  flowering  shrubs,  whilst  a  variety  of  beautiful 


368  AN   AFRICAN   PARADISE. 

ferns,  similar  to  maiden-liair,  and  other  delicate  kinds, 
flourished  in  the  damp  crevices  of  the  rocks. 

"  As  we  went  forward  the  scenery  increased  in  beauty, 
and  at  last  I  was  constrained  to  halt  and  surrender  myself 
to  the  enjoyment  of  the  view  which  lay  before  me.  I  will 
content  myself  with  asserting  that  nothing  could  be  more 
lovely  than  this  entrancing  scene,  this  glimpse  of  a  para- 
dise. To  describe  it  would  be  impossible,  neither  poet, 
with  all  the  wealth  of  world-imagery,  nor  painter,  with 
almost  supernatural  genius,  could  by  pen  or  pencil  do  full 
justice  to  the  country  of  Bailunda.  In  the  foreground 
were  glades  in  the  woodland,  varied  by  knolls  crowned  by 
groves  of  large,  English-looking  trees,  sheltering  villages, 
with  yellow  thatched  roofs  ;  shambas,  or  plantations,  with 
the  fresh  green  of  young  crops  and  bright  red  of  newly- 
hoed  ground  in  vivid  contrast,  and  running  streams  flash- 
ing in  the  sunlight ;  whilst  in  the  far  distance  were  moun- 
tains of  endless  and  pleasing  variety  of  form,  gradually 
fading  away,  until  they  blended  with  the  blue  of  the  sky. 
Overhead  there  drifted  fleecy- white  clouds ;  and  the  hum 
of  bees,  the  bleating  of  goats  and  crowing  of  cocks  broke 
the  stillness  of  the  air. 

"As  I  lay  beneath  a  tree,  in  indolent  contemplation  of 
the  beauties  of  nature  in  this  most  favored  spot,  all  thought 
of  the  work  still  before  me  vanished  from  my  mind ;  but 
I  was  rudely  awakened  from  my  pleasant  reverie  by  the 
appearance  of  the  loaded  caravan,  with  the  men  grunting, 
yelling  and  laboring  under  their  burdens.  Thus  the  dream 
of  fairy-land  was  dispelled  and  the  realities  of  my  work, 
with  its  toil  and  trouble,  returned. 

"  That  evening  we  encamped  in  a  wood,  a  clear  space 
having  literally  to  be  cut  out  of  the  masses  of  sweet-scented 
creepers  which  festooned  the  trees." 

Cameron  here  turned  aside  to  visit  the  Kongo  chief  of 


DESPERATE   STATE   OP   AFFAIRS.  369 

the  Bailunda  at  his  capital,  Kambala.  The  huts  were 
built  on  a  hill-side  among  rocks,  and  were  surrounded  by  a 
palisade.  He  was  kept  some  time  waiting  for  his  appear- 
ance, sitting  on  a  stool — several  of  which  surrounded  an 
old  arm-chair  that  served  as  a  throne  for  the  sable 
monarch.  Kongo,  at  last,  entered,  dressed  in  a  much-faded 
and  dilapidated  uniform,  with  a  huge,  battered  cocked  hat 
on  his  head,  and  being  very  aged  and  much  under  the  in- 
fluence of  drink,  he  had  to  be  helped  along  and  placed  on 
his  throne.  He  was  too  drunk  to  know  what  he  was  about 
and  Cameron,  having  presented  him  with  a  gun,  retired. 
Though  now  near  the  coast,  among  people  who  had  more 
or  less  intercourse  with  white  men,  Cameron  began  to 
suffer  more  severely  than  he  had  at  any  time  since  leaving 
the  Lualaba.  He  had  now  been  some  two  months  pushing 
his  way  slowly  in  a  south-westerly  direction,  since  he  aban- 
doned the  effort  to  follow  the  Congo  to  the  sea.  Through 
the  various  provinces  and  districts,  and  past  innumerable 
villages,  the  caravan  had  pressed  on  without  serious  incon- 
venience ;  the  natives  either  being  too  peaceably  inclined  or 
too  weak  to  offer  any  resistance.  But,  now,  his  men  were 
gradually  giving  out — getting  every  day  more  unfit  to 
march — and,  at  the  best,  made  such  short  ones  that  the 
coast,  practically  J  was  yet  a  great  way  off.  Added  to  this, 
the  rain  set  in,  and  the  weak,  discouraged,  foot-sore  caravan, 
as  it  slowly  dragged  itself  over  the  wet  ground,  looked  like 
a  long  funeral  procession.  Besides,  the  only  money  that 
could  buy  food  had  given  out — both  cloth  and  trinkets. 
Stragglers  also  disappeared  and  had  to  be  waited  for  or 
hunted  up — one  died  and  was  thrown  into  a  jungle  because, 
if  buried,  the  grave  might  be  discovered  and  they  be  de- 
layed to  settle  the  matter  with  the  natives.  Things  were 
getting  in  a  desperate  condition.  At  last,  one  day,  they 
had  been  six  hours  on  the  march,  in  a  pouring  rain,  and 


370  A   FOECED    MARCH. 

yet  were  compelled  to  rest  so  often  that  they  had  been 
moving  onward  only  two  hours  and  a  half.  Cameron  now 
saw  that  something  decisive  must  be  done.  He  found  that 
he  was  yet  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  miles  from  the 
coast,  while  upwards  of  twenty  men  were  sick  or  lame, 
and  all  hungry  and  filling  the  air  with  their  groans  and 
complaints.  When,  therefore,  they  went  into  camp,  he 
took  his  pipe  and  sat  down  to  think  over  his  situation,  and, 
after  a  half  an  hour's  reflection,  resolved  to  throw  away  his 
tent,  boat,  bed — everything  but  instruments,  journals  and 
books — and,  selecting  a  few  strong  men,  make  a  forced 
march  to  the  sea,  and  send  back  assistance  to  the  main 
body.  So,  early  on  the  following  morning,  taking  five  of 
his  own  men  and  some  natives  who  joined  him  after  his 
visit  to  Kongo  and  hence  were  fresh,  he  started.  All  he 
had  in  the  way  of  provisions,  or  anything  to  purchase 
them  with  for  himself  personally,  were  a  half  a  fowl,  a  little 
flour  and  two  yards  of  cloth.  They  made  a  sharp  march 
the  first  day  and,  at  night,  pitched  their  camp  on  a  moun- 
tain, five  thousand  eight*  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  Up 
with  the  dawn  they  pushed  on  again,  meeting  caravans  from 
the  coast,  bound  inland,  the  leaders  astonished  at  seeing  a 
white  man  on  foot  and  none  but  natives  for  his  companions. 
After  eleven  hours  of  stiff  marching,  they  were  com- 
pelled to  go  into  camp  at  an  elevation  of  nearly  four  thou- 
sand feet  above  the  sea.  At  five  o'clock  the  next  morning 
they  were  off  again — passing  cultivated  fields,  the  owners 
of  which,  however,  would  enter  into  no  negotiations  for  the 
sale  of  food.  At  two  o'clock  they  came  suddenly  upon  a 
village  so  entirely  hidden  by  rocks  and  trees,  that  they  did 
not  see  it  till  they  were  almost  at  the  entrance.  Here  they 
got  a  little  flour,  and  pushed  on.  That  night  Cameron 
was  completely  fagged  out,  having  been  on  his  feet  eleven 
hours. 


FIRST  SIGHT  OF   THE  SEA.  371 

The  next  day,  the  way  became  fearfully  rough,  and  the 
tired  travelers  were  compelled  to  crawl  on  their  hands  and 
knees  over  rocks  and  slide  down  into  deep  ravines,  and 
then  climb  their  precipitous  sides  by  aid  of  vines,  while 
graves  and  skeletons  along  the  path  told  how  many  had 
lain  down  and  died  on  this  terrible  march.  Clogs  and 
forks  of  wood  were  lying  by  their  side,  telling  the  sad 
story  of  the  fate  of  many  a  slave  who,  wearied  with  his 
long,  painful  journey  from  the  interior,  finally  succumbed 
here,  getting  a  happy  release  from  the  sufferings  of  the 
middle  passage  and  the  brutality  of  a  task-master. 

At  night  they  encamped  near  a  village,  and  Cameron 
offered  all  the  cloth  he  had  for  a  little  milk,  which  was 
refused,  and  he  had  to  borrow  more  from  one  of  the  cara- 
vans before  he  could  get  it,  and  then  found  it  sour.  He 
passed  a  feverish,  painful  night,  but  was  off  at  half-past 
four  in  the  morning,  and  soon  met  noisy  caravan  after 
caravan  pushing  inland.  At  length,  with  much  hard 
scrambling,  he  reached  the  summit  of  a  ridge,  and  looking 
off  westward,  asked  himself,  with  eager  anxiety, 

"  What  is  that  distant  line  upon  the  sky  ?" 

At  length  he  exclaimed,  in  rapture,  "  The  sea!  the  sea!" 
His  men  took  up  the  shout,  and  "the  sea!  the  sea!"  went 
up  in  one  exultant  cry.  But  the  welcome  sight  did  not 
give  them  strength,  and  they  crawled  wearily  over  the 
ground,  and  at  four  o'clock  were  obliged  to  stop  and  go 
into  camp. 

The  next  morning  they  were  compelled  to  march  through 
a  pass  that  was  like  a  furnace,  from  the  reflection  of  the 
sun's  rays  striking  against  the  rocks.  That  night  was  the 
last  passed  out  of  civilization.  Before  sunrise  next  morn- 
ing they  were  on  the  march,  and  soon  came  in  sight  of  the 
sea  and  a  little  later  of  Katombella,  situated  on  the  shore. 
Swinging  his  rifle  over  his  head,  Cameron  ran  down  the 


372  Cameron's  dangerous  illness. 

slope,  crazed  with  joy,  and  in  a  short  time  was  in  the  house 
of  Monsieur  Cauchoix,  an  old  officer  of  the  French  navy, 
who  had  settled  as  merchant  at  Benguella.  Here  they 
were  all  provided  with  quarters  and  as  much  food  as  they 
desired,  and  soon  the  men  were  all  gloriously  drunk. 

Cameron  having  disiDatched  relief  to  the  main  body,  now 
turned  his  attention  to  himself.  His  mouth,  which  had 
begun  to  bleed  the  day  before,  suddenly  grew  worse — his 
tongue  became  so  swollen  that  it  protruded  out  of  his 
mouth,  from  which  the  blood  flowed  profusely,  while  he 
was  unable  to  speak  or  swallow. 

In  the  meantime  his  body  was  covered  with  blotches, 
purple,  blue  and  green,  and  he  was  threatened  with  imme- 
diate suffocation.  The  doctor  of  the  hospital  was  sent  for, 
who  began  at  once  to  apply  powerful  remedies.  Yet,  in  so 
dangerous  a  condition  did  he  consider  him  to  be,  that  he  did 
not  leave  his  side  for  forty-eight  hours.  Had  this  attack 
seized  him  a  day  sooner,  when  away  from  medical  aid,  he 
would  inevitably  have  died.  It  was  a  narrow  escape.  He 
now  began  to  mend  rapidly,  and  on  November  11th,  the 
rest  of  his  men  came  in  except  one,  who  had  died  since  he 
left  them  on  his  forced  march.  Bombay  celebrated  his  de- 
liverance by  getting  drunk  and  abusing  everybody,  not 
excepting  the  host,  Cauchoix,  himself.  Cameron  wished 
to  flog  him,  but  those  whom  the  drunken  brute  had  abused 
interceded  for  him,  and  he  was  let  off". 

Here  he  came  across  a  queer  specimen  of  a  Yankee,  who 
was  in  the  employ  of  Cauchoix.  He  asked  Cameron 
whether  he  had  been  traveling  "  on  his  own  hook,"  or  been 
"  working  for  a  company."  He  said  he  should  like  to  have 
been  with  him,  but  "  he  didn't  care  about  the  darned  walk- 
ing." Among  other  things,  he  had  been  master  of  an 
American  barque,  and  traded  in  snakes,  that  he  found  up 
some  African  river.     He  liked  the  business,  he  said,  and 


WELCJOME   AT   HOME.  373 

asked  Cameron  if  he  could  easily  get  hold  of  some  big 
Bnakes. 

A  fortnight  later  he  and  his  men  were  landed  in  the 
harbor  of  Loanda  by  a  little  Portuguese  steamer,  that  had 
been  ordered  to  convey  them  there.  Cameron  went  at 
once  to  the  English  consulate.  As  the  consul  entered  the 
room  where  he  was  awaiting  his  arrival,  the  latter  said ; 
"  I  have  come  to  report  myself  from  Zanzibar,  overland." 

The  consul  stared  at  him  a  moment  in  blank  surprise, 
then  stepping  quickly  forward,  and  placing  both  his  hands 
on  his  shoulders,  exclaimed :    "  Cameron  I  my  God  /" 

He  was  detained  here  some  time  in  getting  a  ship  to 
convey  his  men  back  to  Zanzibar ;  but  at  last  he  saw  them 
aboard  a  ship  and  sail  out  of  the  harbor,  and  then  took  a 
steamer  for  home,  and  on  the  2d  of  April  arrived  in  the 
Mersey,  and  was  welcomed  by  scores  of  delighted  friends, 
who  never  expected  to  see  him  again. 

More  than  three  years  had  passed  since  he  first  set  sail 
on  his  perilous  expedition,  much  of  the  time  having  been 
spent  in  the  very  heart  of  Africa.  He  had  heard  nothing 
of  Stanley,  and  now  public  attention  was  turned  to  this 
daring  explorer.  Would  he  accomplish  more  than  this 
maUj  who  had  crossed  the  continent  without  one  white  man 
as  a  companion,  or  would  he  leave  his  bones  in  some  Afri- 
can forest  ?  It  will  be  seen  in  the  following  chapters  what 
he  was  doing,  and,  in  the  end,  accomplished. 

As  Mr.  Stanley  went  over  the  same  ground  that  Came- 
ron gave  most  of  his  attention  to,  we  have  not  dwelt  on  the 
discoveries  of  the  latter,  because  the  former  explored  it 
more  thoroughly,  and  hence  the  results  of  his  work  will 
be  more  satisfactory  to  the  reader. 

The  iniquitous  slave  trade  occupies  the  same  prominence 
in  Cameron's  sight  that  it  did  in  Livingstone's,  and  as  it 
does  in  Baker's  and  Stanley's  estimation,  and  he  says,  in 


374  THE  SLAVE-TRADE   QUESTION. 

conclusion :  "  The  question  now  before  the  civilized  world 
is,  whether  the  slave  trade  in  Africa,  which  causes,  at  the 
lowest  estimate,  an  annual  loss  of  over  a  half  a  million  of 
lives,  is  to  be  permitted  to  continue.  Every  one  worthy 
of  the  name  of  a  man  will  say,  *  No !'  But  it  is  not  to  be 
stopped  by  talking  and  writing.  Every  one  must  put  his 
shoulder  to  the  wheel — some  to  aid  commerce,  and  some 
missionary  effort,  till  civilization  and  light  are  forced  into 
the  heart  of  the  dark  continent." 

GENERAL  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  COUNTRY  ON  CAMERON's 

NEW  ROUTE. 

Beyond  the  ranges  of  Kilimacho  and  Nyoka  are  broad 
and  well-watered  plains,  extending  to  Kalomba,  east  of 
which  is  a  shallow  basin  about  five  or  six  miles  across, 
where  the  soil  is  salt  and  there  are  some  salt  springs. 

From  Kalomba  to  Lunga  Mandis,  the  country  consisted 
of  wooded  hills,  flat-topped  table-lands  of  sand  and  broad 
marshes  bordering  streams.  The  channel  of  the  river  is 
continually  changing,  and  in  a  year  or  two  no  trace  remains 
of  its  former  course.  This  is  owing  to  the  growth  of  semi- 
aquatic  vegetation,  which  quickly  closes  up  every  space 
where  the  water  does  not  flow  rapidly ;  and  this  accounts 
for  the  fact  that  toward  the  end  of  the  dry  season,  the 
actual  channel  is  much  smaller  than  in  the  rainy. 

If  these  swamps  prove  to  be  the  modern  representatives 
of  the  old  coal-measures,  we  should  find  ferns,  papyrus — 
especially  its  roots ;  trees — some  fallen  on  their  sides  and 
half-rotten,  others  still  standing,  and  stumps  and  grasses 
amongst  the  vegetable  fossils ;  whilst  those  of  the  animal 
kingdom  should  include  skeletons  of  mud-fish  and  frogs, 
and  also  of  an  occasional  crocodile,  buffalo  or  hippo- 
potamus. 


THE   KIBOKWI   COUNTRY.  375 

The  country  in  Ussambi  consisted  mostly  of  flat-topped 
sandstone  hills.  Strata  of  red  and  yellow  sandstone  alter- 
nated, and  between  them  and  the  granite  were  usually 
masses  of  water-worn  pebbles. 

Ulunda  is  a  thickly-wooded  country,  with  gentle  undu- 
lations and  occasional  savannahs  or  meadows,  watered  by 
numberless  streams,  most  of  them  running  northward  to 
the  Kongo. 

At  its  western  side,  broad  plains  stretch  right  across 
Lovali.  They  are  light  and  sandy  in  the  dry  season,  with 
belts  of  trees  along  the  different  watercourses  intersecting 
them,  but  during  the  rains  become  quagmires  and  morasses. 
The  water-shed  between  the  Zambesi  and  Kongo  basins 
lies  along  the  centre  of  these  plains — which  in  the  annu- 
ally rainy  season  are  waist-deep  in  water,  and  the  two 
basins  then  actually  join. 

West  of  Lovali  is  the  country  of  Kibokwi,  where  the 
rise  out  of  the  central  depression  becomes  very  marked, 
and  the  country  is  nearly  all  covered  with  forests.  Bee 
culture  is  here  the  chief  occupation  of  the  natives.  The 
large  trees  are  utilized  to  support  their  beehives,  the  pro- 
duce of  which  forms  a  considerable  and  profitable  item  of 
barter.  They  exchange  the  wax  for  all  the  foreign  trade 
goods  they  require,  and  from  the  honey  make  a  sort<of 
mead,  which  is  strong  and  by  no  means  unpalatable.  The 
people  work  iron  tastefully  and  well.  They  obtain  the  ore 
from  the  nodules  found  in  the  beds  of  the  streams.  The 
basins  of  the  Kongo  and  Zambesi  terminate  in  the  western 
portion  of  Kibokwi,  where  that  of  the  Kwanza  com- 
mences. 

The  country  of  Bihi  is  entered  after  the  Kwanza  is 
crossed — the  eastern  portion  being  formed  of  wooded  hills 
of  red  sandstone,  with  many  running  brooks  and  rills, 
whilst  in  the  western  part  are  wide  prairies  and  bare  downs, 


376  EASTERN   AND   WESTERN   BAILUNDA. 

with  a  few  patches  of  wood.  A  peculiar  feature  is  the 
number  of  streams  which  flow  underground  for  a  portion 
of  their  course,  the  most  remarkable  instance  being  the 
"Burst  of  the  Kulato,"  the  boundary  between  Bihi  and 
Bailunda.  The  eastern  portion  of  Bailunda  is  moderately 
level,  with  rocky  hills,  on  the  summits  of  which  are 
situated  the  villages  of  the  chiefs ;  but,  as  the  western  por- 
tion is  reached,  the  country  breaks  into  mountains  of  every 
shape  and  form,  among  which  are  needles  and  cones  of 
granite.  In  the  foreground  the  hills  are  of  red  sandstone, 
crowned  with  groves  of  magnificent  trees,  festooned  with 
jasmines  and  other  sweet-scented  creepers. 

At  the  western  side  of  Bailunda  the  caravan  reached 
the  culminating  point  of  the  section  across  the  continent. 

A  mountainous  and  rocky  tract  lies  between  this  and  the 
west  coast.  In  some  of  the  passes  the  solid  granite  hills 
are  cupola  and  dome-shaped,  like  the  Puy-de-Dome,  in 
Auvergne.  But  even  among  this  mass  of  rocky,  sterile 
mountains  lie  fertile  valleys,  where  the  people  cultivate 
large  quantities  of  corn,  which  they  carry  down  to  the 
coast  to  exchange  for  aquardienti  and  cloth. 

After  passing  Eazanji,  forty  miles  from  the  sea,  no  more 
human  habitations  are  seen  till  Katombela  is  reached. 
Nearly  thirty  miles  of  this  part  of  the  road  is  through  one 
continuous  pass  of  bare  granite  rocks,  with  only  the  occa- 
sional shelter  of  a  boabab-tree,  or  a  giant  euphorbia.  To 
this  pass  succeeds  a  barren  waste  of  sand  and  gravel,  sepa- 
rated from  the  sea  by  a  low,  flat  strip  of  land  on  the  sea- 
ward side;  and  here  the  towns  of  Katombela  and  Ben- 
guella  are  situated.  This  strip  only  needs  irrigation  to 
make  it  yield  all  tropical  productions,  and,  as  water  is 
obtained  everywhere  close  to  the  surface,  large  and  pro- 
ductive gardens  are  easily  cultivated. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Stanley's  last  great  expedition. 

STANLEY  THINKS  OF  AFBICA  AND  LTVINGSTONK'S  "7NF1NISHED  WORK— DETERMINEa  TO  OOSTPLETK 
IT— TAKES  A  BOAT  OF  HIS  OWN  ALONG — AT  ZANZIBAR  AGAIN— STARTS  FOB  THE  INTERIOR- 
TAKES  A  NEW  ROUTE— THE  COUNTRY  PASSED  THROUGH— DESERTED  BY  HIS  GUIDES— LOSES 
■  THE  PATH— A  PAINFUL  MARCH— STARVATION  AND  DEATH— A  GLOOMY  PROSPECT— TWO  YOUNG 
LIONS  KILLED  AND  MADE  INTO  BROTH- A  TRUNK  USED  FOR  A  KETTLE— A  PAINFLX  SPECTACLE- 
MEN  SENT  OFF  FOR  FOOD  AT  LAST  RETURN— JOY  OF  THE  CAMP— THE  MARCH— A  NEW  TYPE  09 
NATIVES— NAKED  BEALTY— SICKNESS  ANT)  DEATH— DEATH  OF  EDWARD  POCOKE— HIS  BURIAL— 
STANLEY'S  LETTER  TO  HIS  FATHER— A  MAN  MURDERED— ITWRU  REACHED— A  POPULOUS 
PLAIN— INTERCOURSE  WITH  THE  PEOPLE— A  MAGIC  DOCTOR, 

STANLEY,  after  he  had  found  Livingstone,  naturally- 
thought  much  of  the  latter's  explorations.  Africa 
had  become  to  him  an  absorbing  subject,  till  he  began  to 
imbibe  the  spirit  of  Livingstone.  This  was  natural,  for 
he  had  won  fame  there,  and  why  should  he  not  win  still 
greater  laurels  in  the  same  field  ?  This  feeling  was  much 
increased  after  the  death  of  the  great  explorer,  with  his 
work  unfinished,  and  he  longed  to  complete  it.  True, 
Cameron  was  on  the  ground  to  accomplish  this  very  object, 
but  Stanley  knew  the  difficulties  he  would  have  to  contend 
with  without  a  boat  of  his  own.  The  matter  was  talked 
over  a  good  deal,  and  finally  the  proprietors  of  the  New 
York  Herald  and  London  Telegraph  determined  to  send 
him  out.  The  vast  lake  region,  embracing  some  six  de- 
grees of  longitude  and  extending  from  the  equator  to 
fifteen  degrees  south  latitude,  had  become  a  region  of  the 
greatest  interest  to  explorers.  On  this  vast  water-shed 
lived  a  mighty  population,  and  these  lakes,  with  the  rivers 
running  into  and  out  of  them,  must  furnish  the  roads  to 

377 


378  AGAIN   AT   ZANZIBAR. 

commerce  and  be  the  means  by  which  Africa  would  be 
lifted  out  of  its  barbarism  into  the  light  of  civilization. 

The  large  lakes  Nyassa  and  Tanganika  had  been  more 
or  less  explored,  but  the  one  jDossessing  the  greatest  inte- 
rest— ^the  Victoria  Nyanza,  on  account  of  the  general  im- 
pression that  it  was  the  head  of  the  Nile — was  almost 
wholly  unknown.  The  persistence  with  which  the  Nile 
had  mocked  all  the  efforts  to  find  its  source,  had  imparted 
a  mystery  to  it  and  caused  efforts  to  be  made  to  unlock  the 
secret,  apparently  wholly  disproportioned  to  its  value  or 
real  importance.  This  lake,  therefore,  was  to  be  Stanley's 
first  objective  point.  Livingstone,  Speke  and  Burton,  and 
others  had  seen  it — he  would  sail  round  it  in  a  boat  which 
he  would  take  with  him.  This  he  had  made  in  sections, 
so  that  it  could  be  carried  the  nearly  one  thousand  miles 
through  the  jungles  of  Africa  to  its  destination. 

Everything  being  completed  he  started  on  his  route,  and 
in  the  latter  part  of  1874  found  himself  once  more  at  Zan- 
zibar. Here,  in  organizing  his  expedition,  he  discovered 
that  the  builder  had  made  his  boat,  which  he  had  chris- 
tened the  Lady  Alice,  a  great  deal  heavier  than  he  had 
ordered ;  but  he  luckily  found  a  man  in  Zanzibar  who  was 
able  to  reduce  its  weight  so  that  it  could  be  transported  by 
the  carriers.  It  is  not  necessary  to  go  into  a  description 
of  how  he  organized  the  new  expedition,  nor  of  his  journey 
along  his  old  route  to  Unyanyembe.  His  force  consisted 
in  all  of  a  little  over  three  hundred  men,  and  he  took  with 
him  this  time  several  powerful  dogs.  The  interest  of  the 
expedition  begins  when  he  struck  off  from  the  regular 
route  of  the  caravans  going  west,  and  entered  an  entirely 
new  country  and  encountered  a  new  race  of  people.  In- 
stead of  moving  directly  westward,  he  turned  off  to  the 
north,  and  at  length  reached  the  western  frontier  of  Ugogo, 
on  the  last  day  of  the  year  1874.     The  country  at  this 


DESERTED   BY   THE   GUIDES.  379 

point  stretched  before  him  in  one  vast  plain,  which  some 
of  the  natives  said  extended  clear  to  JSTyanza.     He  found 
that  his  course  led  him  along  the  extremity  of  Whumba, 
which  he  was  glad  to  know,  as  he  thought  his  march  would 
now  be  unmolested.     Two  days'  march  brought  them  to 
the  borders  of  Usandawa,  a  country  abounding  in   ele- 
phants.    Plere  he  turned  to  the  north-west  and  entered 
Ukimbu  or  Uyonzi  on  its  eastern  extremity.     The  guides 
he  had  hired  in  Ugogo  to  take  him  as  far  as  Iramba  here 
deserted  him.     Hiring  fresh  ones,  he  continued  two  days 
in  the  same  direction,  when  these  deserted  him  also,  and 
Stanley  found  himself  one  morning  on  the  edge  of  a  vast 
wilderness  without  a  guide.     The  day  before,  the  guides 
had  told  him  that  three  days'  march  would  bring  him  to 
Urimi.     Relying  on  the  truth  of  this  statement,  he  had 
purchased  only  two  days*  provisions.     Thinking,  therefore, 
that  they  would  be  there  by  the  evening  of  the  next  day, 
he  thought  little  of  the  desertion  and  moved  off  with  con- 
fidence.    But   the   next   morning,  the   track,  which  was 
narrow  and  indistinct  at  the  best,  became  so  inextricably 
mixed  up  with  the  paths  made  by  elephants  and  rhinoceros, 
that  they  were  wholly  at  loss  what  course  to  take.     Halting, 
Stanley  sent  out  men  to  seek  the  lost  path,  but  they  re- 
turned unable  to  find  it.    They  then,  of  course,  had  nothing 
left  to  do  but  to  march  by  compass,  which  they  did. 

As  might  be  expected,  it  brought  them,  after  a  few  hours' 
march,  into  a  dense  jungle  of  acacias  and  euphorbias,  through 
which  they  could  make  their  way  only  by  crawling,  scram- 
bling and  cutting  the  entangling  vines.  Now  pushing  aside 
an  obstructing  branch — now  cutting  a  narrow  lane  through 
the  matted  mass,  and  now  taking  advantage  of  a  slight 
opening,  this  little  band  of  three  hundred  struggled  j^ain- 
fully  forward  toward  what  they  thought  was  open  country, 
and  an  African  village  with  plenty  of  provisions. 


380  A  FEARFUL  DEATH  EOLL. 

In  this  protracted  struggle  the  third  night  overtook  them 
in  the  wilderness,  and  there   they  pitched  their  lonely, 
starving  camp.     To  make  it  more  gloomy,  one  of  the  men 
died  and  was  buried ;  his  shallow  grave  seeming  to  be  a 
sad  foreboding  of  what  awaited  them  in  the  future.     The 
want  of  provisions  now  began  to  tell  terribly  on  the  men^ 
but  there  was  nothing  to  do  but  go  forward,  trusting  to 
some  outbreak  to  this  apparently  interminable  wilderness. 
But  human  endurance  has  its  limit,  and  although  Stanley 
kept  his  little  force  marching  all  day,  they  made  but  four- 
teen miles.     It  was  a  continual  jungle,  with  not  a  drop  of 
water  on  the  route.    The  poor  carriers,  hungry  and  thirsty, 
sunk  under  their  loads  and  lagged  behind  the  main  force 
for  many  miles,  until  it  became  a  straggling,  weary,  de- 
spondent crowd,  moving  without  order  and  without  care 
through  the  wilderness.     The  strong  endeavored  to  help 
the  weak,  and  did   relieve  them   of  their  burdens  and 
encourage  them  to  hold  on,  so  that  most  of  them  were  able 
to  reach  the  camp  at  night.     But  in  despite  of  all  effort  five 
sick,  despairing  men,  strayed  from  the   path,  which  was 
only  a  blind  trail  made  by  those  in  advance.     After  the 
camp  for  the  night  was  pitched,  Stanley  sent  back  scouts 
to  find  them,  who  explored  the  woods  for  a  mile  each  side 
of  the  track  they  had  made,  but  only  one  man  was  found, 
and  he  full  a  mile  from  the  trail  and  dead.     The  other 
four  had  wandered  off  beyond  reach  and  were  never  heard 
of  more.     This  was  getting  to  be  fearful  marching — five 
men  in  one  day  was  a  death  roll  that  could  not  be  kept  up 
long,  and  Stanley  began  to  cast  about  anxiously  to  deter- 
mine what  step  he  should  next  take.     But  there  was  but 
one  course  left  open  to  him,  to  attempt  to  retrace  his  steps 
was  certain  death  by  famine,  to  advance  could  not  be  worse, 
while  it  might  bring  relief,  so  push  on  was  the  order,  and 
they  did  push  on  weary,  thirsty,  starving,  and  on  the  fifth 


IN  SEARCH  OF  FOOD.  381 

day  came  to  a  little  village  recently  established,  and  which 
consisted  of  only  four  huts,  occupied  by  four  men  with 
their  wives  and  children.  These  had  scarcely  provisions 
enough  to  keep  themselves,  and  hence  could  give  nothing 
to  Stanley's  starving  men.  It  was  useless  to  attempt 
further  marching  without  food,  for  the  men  staggered  into 
camp  exhausted,  and  would  rather  die  there  than  attempt 
to  move  again. 

Stanley's  experience  had  taught  him  how  far  he  could 
urge  on  these  African  carriers  and  soldiers,  and  he  saw 
they  had  now  become  desperate  and  would  not  budge 
another  inch  until  they  had  something  to  eat.  He,  there- 
fore, ordered  a  halt,  and  selecting  twenty  of  his  strongest 
men,  sent  them  off  in  search  of  food.  They  were  to  press 
on  to  a  village  called  Suna,  about  thirty  miles  distant,  of 
which  the  natives  told  him,  and  where  they  said  food  was 
in  abundance.  As  soon  as  they  had  disappeared  in  the 
forest,  Stanley  took  his  gun  and  strolled  out  in  search  of 
game.  But,  filled  as  the  country  seemed  with  it,  he  could 
find  nothing  to  shoot.  One  of  his  men,  however,  came 
across  a  lion's  den,  in  which  were  two  cubs,  which  he 
brought  to  Stanley.  The  latter  skinned  them  and  took 
them  back  to  camp.  As  he  entered  it,  the  pinched  and 
worn  faces  of  his  faithful  men,  as  they  sat  hungry  and 
despairing,  moved  him  so  deeply  that  he  would  have  wept, 
but  for  fear  of  adding  to  their  despondency.  The  two  cubs 
would  go  but  a  little  way  toward  feeding  some  two  hundred 
and  twenty  men,  if  cooked  as  ordinary  meat,  so  he  resolved 
to  make  a  soup  of  them,  which  would  go  much  farther. 
But  the  question  was  where  to  get  a  kettle  large  enough  to 
make  a  soup  for  such  a  large  body  of  men.  Luckily,  he 
bethought  himself  of  a  sheet-iron  trunk  which  he  had 
among  his  baggage,  and  which  was  water-tight.  He 
quickly  dumped  out  of  it  its  contents,  and  filling  it  with 


382  LION   BEOTH. 

water,  set  it  over  a  fire  whicli  he  had  ordered  to  be  made. 
He  then  broke  open  his  medical  stores,  and  taking  out  five 
pounds  of  Scotch  oatmeal  and  three  one-pound  tins  of 
revalenta  Arabica,  he  made  with  it  and  the  two  young 
lions  a  huge  trunk  full  of  gruel,  that  would  give  even  two 
hundred  and  twenty  men  a  good  bowl  apiece.  He  said  it 
was  a  rare  sight  to  see  those  hungry,  famished  men  gather 
around  that  Torquay  dress-trunk  and  pile  on  the  fuel,  and 
in  every  way  assist  to  make  the  contents  boil,  while  with 
greedy  eyes,  with  gourds  in  their  hands,  full  of  water,  they 
stood  ready  to  pour  it  in  the  moment  it  threatened  to  boil 
over  and  waste  the  precious  contents.  But  he  adds,  "it  was 
a  rarer  sight  still  to  watch  the  famished  wretches,  as,  with 
these  same  gourds  full  of  the  precious  broth,  they  drank  it 
down  as  only  starving  men  swallow  food.  The  weak 
and  sick  got  a  larger  portion,  and  another  tin  of  oatmeal 
being  opened  for  their  supper  and  breakfast,  they  waited 
j^atiently  the  return  of  those  who  had  gone  in  quest  of 
food." 

Stanley's  position  now  became  painfully  trying.  He 
was  five  days'  march  from  where  he  could  obtain  food,  if 
he  attempted  to  go  back,  which,  in  the  present  condition  of 
his  men^  they  could  never  make,  and  if  any  survived,  it 
would  be  on  the  terrible  condition  of  the  living  eating  the 
dead. 

The  only  hope  lay  in  reaching  supplies  in  advance. 
But  what  if  those  twenty  strong  men  he  had  sent  on  to 
find  them  never  returned,  having  been  ambushed  and 
killed  on  the  way,  or  what  if  they,  at  the  end  of  several 
days,  returned  and  reported  nothing  but  an  unbroken 
wilderness  and  impassable  jungle  or  swamps  in  front,  and 
themselves  famished,  ready  to  die  ?  These  were  questions 
that  Stanley  anxiously  put  to  himself  and  dared  not  con- 
template the  answer.     The  hours  of  painful  anxiety  and 


EETUKN  OP  THE  SCOUTS.  383 

suspense,  the  maddening  thoughts  and  wild  possibilities 
that  fire  the  brain  and  oppress  the  heart  in  such  crises  as 
these  cannot  be  imagined,  they  can  be  known  only  by  him 
who  suffers  the  pangs  they  inflict.  This  is  a  portion  of  the 
.^history  of  the  expedition  that  Stanley  can  never  write, 
though  it  is  written  on  his  heart  in  lines  that  will  never 
be  effaced. 

The  empty  trunk  lay  on  one  side,  and  the  night  came 
down  and  the  stars  burned  bright  and  tranquilly  above,  and 
all  was  silent  in  the  wide  solitude  as  Stanley  sat  and  listened 
for  the  return  of  his  men.  But  they  came  not,  and  the 
morning  broke  and  the  sun  rode  once  more  the  tropical 
heavens  in  his  splendor,  but  no  musket  shot  from  the  forest 
told  of  the  returning  scouts.  The  weary  hours  wore  on 
and  the  emaciated  men  lay  around  in  silent  suffering.  To 
Stanley  those  hours  seemed  days.  Night  again  darkened 
the  forest  and  still  no  sign  of  the  returning  party.  Would 
they  ever  return,  was  the  terrible  question  Stanley  was 
perpetually  putting  to  himself,  and  if  not,  what  desperate 
movement  should  he  attempt  ?  The  third  morning  broke 
as  calm  and  peaceful  as  the  rest;  he  was  beginning  to 
despair,  when,  suddenly,  a  musket  shot  broke  over  the 
forest,  and  then  another  and  another,  sending  sudden  life 
and  activity  throughout  the  despairing  camp.  The  men, 
as  they  emerged  into  view  laden  with  food,  were  greeted 
with  a  loud  shout,  and  the  hungry  wretches  fell  on  the 
provisions  they  brought  like  ravening  wolves.  The  report 
of  abundance  ahead  so  excited  the  men  that  they  forgot 
their  feebleness  and  clamored  to  be  led  on  that  very  after- 
noon Stanley  was  quite  willing  to  get  away  from  the 
jungle,  filled  with  such  painful  associations,  and  cheerfully 
ordered  the  march,  but  before  they  could  get  away  two  men 
breathed  their  last  in  the  camp  and  were  left  to  sleep  alone 
in  the  wilderness. 


384  NEW   TYPE   OF   NATIVES. 

That  night  they  encamped  at  the  base  of  a  rocky  hill, 
from  which  stretched  away  a  broad  plain.  The  hill — 
lifting  itself  into  the  clear  air — the  open  plain  seemed  like 
civilization  compared  with  the  gloomy  jungle  in  which  they 
had  been  starving  for  the  last  two  days,  and  where  they 
had  left  two  of  their  number,  and  they  awoke  next  morn- 
ing cheerful  and  refreshed.  Starting  off  with  the  prospect 
of  abundant  provisions  ahead,  they  made  a  steady  march 
of  twenty  miles  and  reached  the  district  of  Sun  a  in  Urimi. 

Stanley  was  surprised,  on  entering  the  rude  village,  to 
see  a  new  type  of  African  life.  Men  and  women  of  great 
beauty  and  fine  physical  proportions  met  his  astonished  sight. 
They  stood  before  him  in  all  their  naked  beauty,  unabashed ; 
the  women  bearing  children  alone  wearing  a  covering  of 
goat  skins,  designed  evidently  as  a  protection  against  ex- 
ternal injury,  and  not  caused  by  any  notions  of  modesty. 
Their  fine  appearance  seemed  to  indicate  a  greater  mental 
development  than  any  other  tribes  which  they  had  met. 
Whether  this  were  so  or  not,  it  would  be  difficult  to  tell, 
for  they  were  the  most  suspicious,  reserved  people  Stanley 
had  ever  met,  being  greatly  disinclined  to  barter  provisions, 
of  which  they  had  more  than  they  wanted,  for  cloth  and 
beads,  of  which  they  apparently  had  none.  They  had  no 
chief,  but  seemed  to  be  governed  in  their  actions  by  the 
old  men.  With  these  Stanley  therefore  treated  for  per- 
mission to  pass  through  their  land.  It  required  great  tact 
to  secure  this,  and  still  more  to  obtain  the  required  food. 
Stanley  bore  this  silent  hostility  patiently,  for  though  he 
could  have  taken  all  he  wanted  by  force,  he  wished  to  avoid 
all  violence.  While  lingering  here,  two  more  of  his  ex- 
hausted company  gave  out  and  died,  while  his  sick  list 
swelled  up  to  thirty.  Among  the  latter  was  Edward 
Pocoke,  who,  with  his  brother,  Stanley  had  engaged  in 
England  to  accompany  him  as  attendants..     This  compelled 


DEATH    OF    POCOKE.  385 

him  to  halt   for  four  days,  but  finding   that  the  hostile 
feeling  of  the  natives  increased  the  longer  he  stayed,  he 
determined,  dangerous  as  it  was  to  the  sick,  especially  to 
Pocoke,  to  leave.     Dysentery  and  diarrhoea  was  prevailing 
to  an  alarming  extent,  and  rest  was  especially  necessary  for 
these,  if  they  hoped  to  recover ;  but  he  was  afraid  matters 
would  become   dangerously  complicated  if  he  remained, 
and  he  turned  his  soldiers  into  carriers  and  slung  the  sick 
into  hammocks.     Encouraging  them  with  the  prospect  of 
plenty  and  comfort  ahead,  he  gave  the  order  to  march,  and 
they  passed  out  and  entered  upon  a  clear,  open  and  well 
cultivated  country.     Keaching  a  village  at  ten  o'clock  they 
halted,  and  here  young  Pocoke  breathed  his  last  "to  the 
great  grief  of  all."     In  speaking  of  the  sad  event  that  cast 
a  gloom  over  the  camp,  Stanley  says :     "  We  had  finished 
the  four  hundredth  mile  of  our  march  from  the  sea  and 
had  reached  the  base  of  the  water-shed,  where  the  trick- 
ling streams  and  infant  waters  began  to  flow  Nileward, 
when  this  noble  young  man  died."     They  buried  him  at 
night  under  a  tree,  with  the  stars  shining  down  on  the 
shallow-made  grave — Stanley  reading  the   burial   service 
of  the  Church  of  England  over  the  body.    Far  from  home 
and  friends  in  that  distant,  lonely  land  he  sleeps  to-day,  a 
simple  wooden  cross  marking  his  burial  place.     Stanley 
sent  the  following  letter  home  to  his  father,  describing  his 
sickness  and  death : 

LETTER   TO    POCOKE's   FATHEK. 

KL&.GEHYI,  ON  THE  VlCTOKIA  NyAJJ^ZA, 

March  4th,  1875. 
Dear  Sir  : — ^A  most  unpleasant,  because  sad,  task  de- 
volves upon  me,  for  I  have  the  misfortune  to  have  to  report 
to  you  the  death  of  your  son  Edward,  of  typhoid  fever. 


386  Stanley's  lettee. 

His  service  with  me  was  brief,  but  it  was  long  enougb  for 
me  to  know  the  greatness  of  your  loss,  for  I  doubt  that  few 
fathers  can  boast  of  such  sons  as  yours.  Both  Frank  and 
Ted  proved  themselves  sterling  men,-  noble  and  brave 
hearts  and  faithful  servants.  Ted  had  endeared  himself  to 
the  members  of  the  expedition  by  his  amiable  nature,  his 
cheerfulness  and  by  various  qualifications  which  brought 
him  into  high  favor  with  the  native  soldiers  of  this  force. 
Before  daybreak  we  were  accustomed  to  hear  the  cheery 
notes  of  his  bugle,  which  woke  us  to  a  fresh  day's  labor ; 
at  night,  around  the  camp-fires,  we  were  charmed  with  his 
sweet,  simple  songs,  of  which  he  had  an  inexhaustible 
repertoire.  When  tired  also  with  marching,  it  was  his  task 
to  announce  to  the  tired  people  the  arrival  of  the  vanguard 
at  cam  J),  so  that  he  had  become  quite  a  treasure  to  us  all ; 
and  I  must  say,  I  have  never  known  men  who  could  bear 
what  your  sons  have  borne  on  this  expedition  so  patiently 
and  uncomplainingly.  I  never  heard  one  grumble  either 
from  Frank  or  Ted;  have  never  heard  them  utter  an 
illiberal  remark,  or  express  any  wish  that  the  expedition 
had  never  set  foot  in  Africa,  as  many  men  would  have 
'done  in  their  situation,  so  that  you  may  well  imagine,  that 
if  the  loss  of  one  of  your  sons  causes  grief  to  your  paternal 
heart,  it  has  been  no  less  a  grief  to  us,  as  we  were  all,  as  it 
were,  one  family,  surrounded  as  we  are  by  so  much  that  is 
dark  and  forbidding. 

On  arriving  at  Suna,  in  Urina,  Ted  came  to  me,  after  a 
very  long  march,  complaining  of  pain  in  his  limbs  and  loins. 
I  did  not  think  it  was  serious  at  all,  nor  anything  uncom- 
mon after  walking  twenty  miles,  but  told  him  to  go  and  lie 
down,  that  he  would  be  better  on  the  morrow,  as  it  was 
very  likely  fatigue.  The  next  morning  I  visited  him,  and 
he  again  complained  of  pains  in  the  knees  and  back,  at 
which  I  ascribed  it  to  rheumatism,  and  treated  him  accord- 


pocoke's  bueial.  389 

ingly.  The  third  day  he  complained  of  pain  in  the  chest, 
difficulty  of  breathing  and  sleeplessness,  from  which  I  per- 
ceived he  was  suffering  from  some  other  malady  than  rheu- 
matism, but  what  it  could  be  I  could  not  divine.  He  was 
a  little  feverish,  so  I  gave  him  a  mustard-plaster  and  some 
aperient  medicine.  Toward  night  he  began  to  wander  in 
his  head,  and  on  examining  his  tongue  I  found  it  was 
almost  black  and  coated  with  dark-gray  fur.  At  these 
symptoms  I  thought  he  had  a  severe  attack  of  remittent 
fever,  from  which  I  suffered  in  Ujiji,  in  1871,  and  there- 
fore I  watched  for  an  opportunity  to  administer  quinine — 
that  is,  when  the  fever  should  abate  a  little.  But,  on  the 
fourth  day,  the  patient  still  wandering  in  his  mind,  I  sug- 
gested to  Frank  that  he  should  sponge  him  with  cold 
water  and  change  his  clothing,  during  which  operation  I 
noticed  that  the.  chest  of  the  patient  was  covered  with 
spots  like  pimples  or  small-pox  postules,  which  perplexed 
me  greatly.  He  could  not  have  caught  the  small-pox, 
and  what  tlie  disease  was  I  could  not  imagine ;  but,  turn- 
ing to  my  medical  books,  I  saw  that  your  son  was  suffering 
from  typhoid,  the  description  of  which  was  too  clear  to 
be  longer  mistaken,  and  both  Frank  and  I  devoted  our 
attention  to  him.  He  was  nourished  with  arrow-root  and 
brandy,  and  everything  that  was  in  our  power  to  do  was 
done ;  but  it  was  very  evident  that  the  case  was  serious, 
though  I  hoped  that  his  constitution  would  brave  it  out. 

On  the  fifth  day  we  were  compelled  to  resume  our  jour- 
ney, after  a  rest  of  four  days.  Ted  was  put  in  a  hammock 
and  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  four  men.  At  ten  o'clock 
on  the  17th  of  January  we  halted  at  Chiwyn,  and  the 
minute  that  he  was  laid  down  in  the  camp  he  breathed  his 
last.     Our  companion  was  dead. 

We  buried  him  that  night  under  a  tree,  on  which  his 
brother  Frank  had  cut  a  deep  cross,  and  read  the  beautiful 


390  STANLEY  ELATED  WITH  HOPE. 

service  of  the  Church  of  England  over  him  as  we  laid  the 
])00Y  worn-out  body  in  its  final  resting-place. 

Peace  be  to  his  ashes.  Poor  Ted  deserved  a  better  fate 
than  dying  in  Africa,  but  it  was  impossible  that  he  could 
have  died  easier.  I  wish  that  my  end  may  be  as  peaceful 
and  painless  as  his.  He  was  spared  the  stormy  scenes  we 
went  through  afterwards  in  our  war  with  the  Watarn ; 
and  who  knows  how  much  he  has  been  saved  from  ?  But 
I  know  that  he  would  have  rejoiced  to  be  with  us  at  this 
hour  of  our  triumph,  gazing  on  the  laughing  waters  of  the 
vast  fountain  of  old  Nile.  None  of  us  would  have  been 
more  elated  at  the  prospect  before  us  than  he,  for  he  was 
a  true  sailor,  and  loved  the  sight  of  water.  Yet  again  I 
say  peace  be  to  his  ashes;  be  consoled,  for  Frank  still 
lives,  and,  from  present  appearances,  is  likely  to  come 
home  to  you  with  honor  and  glory,  such  as  he  and  you 
may  well  be  proud  of.  Believe  me,  dear  sir,  with  true 
sincerity,  your  well-wisher, 

Henky  M.  Stanley. 

Stanley  still  traveled  in  a  north-west  direction,  and  the 
farther  he  advanced  the  more  he  was  convinced  that  the 
rivulets  he  encountered  flowed  into  the  Nile,  and  he  became 
elated  with  the  hope  that  he  should  soon  stand  on  the  shores 
of  the  great  lake  that  served  as  the  reservoir  of  the  mighty 
river. 

Two  days'  march  now  brought  them  to  Mongafa,  where 
one  of  his  men  who  had  accompanied  him  on  his  former 
expedition  was  murdered.  He  was  suffering  from  the  asthma, 
and  Stanley  permitted  him  to  follow  the  party  slowly. 
Straggling  thus  behind  alone,  he  was  waylaid  by  the 
natives  and  murdered.  It  was  impossible  to  ascertain  who 
committed  the  deed,  and  so  Stanley  could  not  avenge  the 
crime. 


TUE   MAGIC   DOCTOE,  391 

Keeping  on  they  at  len^i^th  entered  Itwru,  a  district  of 
Northern  Urimi.  The  villa.f^e  where  they  camped  was 
called  Vinyata,  and  was  situated  in  a  broad  and  populous 
valley,  containing  some  two  thousand  to  three  thousand 
souls,  through  which  flowed  a  stream  twenty  feet  wide. 
The  people  here  received  him  in  a  surly  manner,  but 
Stanley  was  very  anxious  to  avoid  trouble  and  used  every 
exertion  to  conciliate  them.  He  seemed  at  last  to  succeed, 
for  at  evening  they  brought  him  milk,  eggs  and  chickens, 
taking  cloth  in  exchange.  This  reached  the  ears  of  the 
great  man  of  the  valley,  a  magic  doctor,  who,  there  being 
no  king  over  the  people,  is  treated  with  the  highest  respect 
and  honor  by  them.  The  next  day  he  brought  Stanley  a 
fat  ox,  for  which  the  latter  paid  him  twice  w^hat  it  was 
worth  in  cloth  and  beads,  besides  making  a  rich  present  to 
his  brother  and  son.  To  all  his  requests  he  cheerfully  con- 
sented in  his  anxiety  to  conciliate  him  and  the  natives. 

That  day,  taking  advantage  of  the  bright  sun  to  dry  the 
bales  and  goods,  he  exposed  his  rich  stores,  an  imprudence 
which  he  very  quickly  deeply  regretted,  for  he  saw  that  the 
display  awoke  all  the  greedy  feelings  of  the  natives,  as  was 
evinced  by  their  eager  looks.  But  the  day  passed  quietly,  and 
on  the  third  morning  the  great  man  made  his  appearance 
again  and  begged  for  more  beads,  which  were  given  him 
and  he  departed  apparently  very  much  pleased,  and  Stan- 
ley congratulated  himself  that  he  would  be  allowed  to 
depart  in  peace. 


CHAPTEE  XXIV. 

tHK  CAMP— VIEW  FROM  IT— HOSTILE  DEMONSTRATIONS- A  THREE  DAYS'  FIGHT— A  MASSACRE— A 
MODERN  SODOM— A  TERRIBLE  VENGEANCE— T\VENTY-ONE  OF  THE  EXPEDITION  KILLED— A 
COMPLETE  KUIN— PROVISIONS  OBTAINED— THE  MARCH  RESUMED— ONLY  A  HUNDRED  AND 
NINETY- FOUR  MEN  LEFT  OUT  OF  THREE  HUNDRED  WITH  WHICH  HE  STARTED— A  GLOOMY  OUT- 
LOOK—MISTAKEN FOR  MIRAMBO— THE  NYANZA  REACHED  AT  LAST— A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE 
COUNTRY  HE  HAD  PASSED  THROUGH. 

FOE,  a  half  an  hour  after  the  magic  doctor  left,  Stanley 
sat  quietly  in  his  camp,  his  anxieties  now  thoroughly 
dissipated,  thinking  over  his  speedy  departure  for  the 
Nyanza.  The  camp  was  situated  on  the  margin  of  a  vast 
wilderness,  which  stretched  he  knew  not  how  far  westward, 
while  away  to  the  north,  south  and  east  extended  a  wide, 
open  plain,  dotted  over,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  with 
villages.  There  were  nearly  two  hundred  of  them,  looking 
in  the  distance  like  clusters  of  beehives.  Everything  was 
peaceful,  and  not  a  sound  disturbed  the  Sabbath-like  still- 
ness of  the  scene,  when  there  suddenly  broke  on  his  ears 
the  shrill  war-cry,  which  was  taken  up  by  village  after 
village  till  the  whole  valley  resounded  with  it.  It  was  one 
loud  "he-hu,  he-hu,"  the  last  syllable  prolonged  and 
uttered  in  a  high,  piercing  note  that  made  the  blood  shiver. 
Still  Stanley  felt  no  alarm,  supposing  that  some  war  expe- 
dition was  about  to  be  set  on  foot,  or  some  enemy  was 
-reported  to  be  near,  and  listened  to  the  barbaric  cry  simply 
with  curiosity.  The  men  in  the  camp  kept  about  their 
usual  avocations — some  fetching  water  from  a  neighboring 
pool,  while  others  were  starting  off  after  wood — when  sud- 
denly a  hundred  warriors  appeared  close  to  camp  in  full 
392 


A   HOSTILE   DEMONSTRATION.  393 

war  costume.  Feathers  of  the  eagle  and  other  birds  waved 
above  their  heads,  "  the  mane  of  the  zebra  and  giraffe  en- 
circled their  foreheads,  their  left  hand  held  the  bow  and 
arrows,  while  the  right  grasped  the  spear."  Stanley  arose, 
and  telli-ng  the  men  not  to  leave  camp  nor  do  anything  to 
provoke  a  hostile  act,  waited  to  see  what  this  sudden  war- 
like attitude  meant. 

In  the  meantime  the  throng  increased  till  the  entire 
camp  was  surrounded.  A  slight  bush  fence  had  been 
built  around  it,  which,  though  it  concealed  those  within, 
was  too  slight  to  be  of  use  in  case  of  an  attack.  Seeing 
that  this  hostile  demonstration  was  against  him,  Stanley 
sent  out  a  young  man  who  spoke  their  language,  to  inquire 
what  they  wanted.  Six  or  seven  warriors  advanced  to 
meet  him,  when  a  lively  conversation  followed.  The  mes- 
senger soon  returned  and  reported  that  they  accused  one 
of  the  party  of  having  stolen  some  milk  and  butter  from  a 
small  village,  and  they  must  be  paid  for  it  in  cloth.  He 
at  once  sent  the  messenger  back,  directing  him  to  tell  the 
warriors  that  he  did  not  come  into  their  country  to  rob  or 
steal,  and  if  anything  had  been  taken  from  them  they  had 
but  to  name  the  price  they  asked  for  it  and  it  should  be 
paid  at  once.  The  messenger  brought  back  word  that 
they  demanded  four  yards  of  sheeting ;  although  this  was 
worth  four  times  as  much  as  the  articles  were  which  they 
alleged  had  been  stolen,  he  was  very  glad  to  settle  the 
matter  so  easily,  and  it  was  measured  and  sent  to  them. 
The  elders  declared  that  they  were  perfectly  satisfied,  and 
they  all  withdrew.  But  Stanley  could  not  at  once  shake 
off  the  suspicion  this  unexpected  show  of  hostile  feeling 
had  excited,  and  he  watched  narrowly  the  villages  in  the 
distance.  He  soon  saw  that  the  warriors  were  not  pacified 
if  the  elders  were,  for  he  could  see  them  hurrying  together 
from  all  parts  of  the  plain  and  gesticulating  wildly. 


394  THE   ATTACK. 

Still  lie  hoped  that  the  elders  would  keep  them  from  any 
overt  act  of  hostility.  While  he  was  watching  them  he 
saw  about  two  hundred  separate  themselves  from  the  main 
body,  and  taking  a  sweep,  make  for  the  woods  west  of  the 
camp.  They  had  hardly  entered  them  when  one  of  his 
men  rushed  out  of  them  into  camp  bleeding  profusely  from 
his  face  and  arms.  He  said  that  Suleiman  (a  youth)  and 
he  were  gathering  wood  when  the  savages  came  suddenly 
upon  them.  He  was  struck  with  a  stick  that  broke  his 
nose,  and  his  arm  was  pierced  with  a  spear,  while  Suleiman 
fell  pierced  with  a  dozen  spears.  His  story  and  bloody 
appearance  so  excited  the  soldiers  that  Stanley  could  with 
difficulty  restrain  them  from  rushing  out  at  once  and  at- 
tacking the  murderers.  He  did  not  yet  despair  of  pre- 
venting an  outbreak,  but  took  care  to  open  the  ammunition 
and  be  prepared  for  the  worst.  He  saw  at  once  that  an 
immensely  large  force  could  be  brought  against  him,  and 
he  must  fortify  himself  or  he  would  be  overwhelmed  by 
numbers,  and  so  ordered  thp  men  immediately  to  commence 
strengthening  the  fence.  They  had  not  been  long  employed 
at  it  when  the  savages  made  a  dash  at  the  camp,  and  sent 
a  shower  of  arrows  into  it.  Stanley  immediately  ordered 
sixty  soldiers  to  deploy  fifty  yards  in  front.  At  the  word 
of  command  they  rushed  out,  and  the  battle  commenced. 
The  enemy  soon  turned  in  flight  and  the  soldiers  j)ursued 
them.  Every  man  was  now  ordered  to  work  on  the  de- 
fenses ;  some  cut  down  thorn-trees  and  threw  together 
rapidly  a  high  fence  all  round  the  camp,  while  others  were 
ordered  to  build  platforms  within  for  the  sharp-shooters. 
All  this  time  Stanley  could  hear  the  fire  of  the  soldiers 
growing  more  and  more  indistinct  in  the  distance.  When 
the  fence  was  completed  he  directed  the  sections  of  the 
Lady  Alice  to  be  placed  so  as  to  form  a  sort  of  central 
camp,  to  which  they  could  retire  in  the  last  extremity.    As 


SAVAGES   AT   BAY.  395 

soon  as  everything  was  finLslied  he  ordered  the  bugle  to 
sound  the  retreat,  and  soon  the  skirmishers  came  in  sight. 
They  reported  fifteen  of  the  enemy  killed.  All  had 
fought  bravely,  even  a  bull  dog  had  seized  a  savage  and 
was  tearing  him  to  pieces,  when  a  bullet  put  him  out  of 
his  misery. 

They  were  not  molested  again  that  day,  which  gave  them 
time  to  make  their  position  still  stronger.  The  night 
passed  quietly,  and  they  were  allowed  to  breakfast  in  peace. 
But  about  nine  o'clock  the  savages  in  great  numbers  ad- 
vanced upon  the  camp.  All  hopes  of  peace  were  now  at 
an  end,  and  since  he  was  forced  to  fight,  Stanley  determined 
to  inflict  no  half-way  punishment,  but  sweep  that  fair  val- 
ley with  the  besom  of  destruction.  He  therefore  selected 
four  reliable  men,  placed  them  at  the  head  of  four  detach- 
ments, attaching  to  each  one  a  fleet  runner,  whose  duty  was 
not  to  fight,  but  to  ref)ort  to  him  any  disaster  that  threat- 
ened or  befell  the  detachment  to  which  he  belonged,  and 
ordered  them  to  move  out  and  attack  the  savages.  As  the 
route  of  the  enemy  was  certain,  he  directed  them  to  pursue 
them  separately,  yet  keep  before  them  as  the  place  of  final 
rendezvous,  some  high  rocks  five  miles  distant  down  the 
valley.  The  detachments  poured  forth  from  the  camp, 
and  the  deadly  fire-arms  so  appalled  those  savage  warriors, 
armed  only  with  the  bow  and  spear,  that  they  at  once 
turned  and  fled.  The  detachments  followed  in  hot  pursuit, 
and  what  promised  to  be  a  fight,  became  a  regular  stam- 
pede. But  one  detachment  having  pursued  a  large  force 
of  the  enemy  into  the  open  plain,  the  latter  turned  at 
bay. 

The  leader  of  the  detachment,  excited  by  the  pursuit,  and 
believing,  in  his  contempt  for  the  savages,  that  the  mere 
sight  of  his  little  band  would  send  them  scurrying  away  in 
deadly  fear,  charged  boldly  on  them.     Quick  as  thought 


396  A   SECOIfD   SODOM. 

they  closed  around  him  in  overwhelming  numbers.  The 
runner  alone  escaped  and  bore  the  sad  tidings  to  Stanley. 
The  appointment  of  these  runners  shows  his  wonderful 
prevision — that  foresight  which  on  many  occasions  alone 
saved  him.  He  at  once  sent  assistance  to  the  detachment 
that  the  courier  had  reported  surrounded.  Alas,  before 
it  arrived  every  man  had  been  massacred.  The  aid, 
though  it  came  too  late  to  save  the  brave  detachment, 
arrived  just  in  time  to  save  the  second,  which  was  just 
falling  into  the  same  snare,  for  the  large  force  that  had 
annihilated  the  first  had  now  turned  on  this,  and  its  fate 
seemed  sealed.  The  reinforcements  hurried  off  by  Stanley 
found  it  completely  hemmed  in  by  the  savages.  Two 
soldiers  had  already  been  killed,  the  captain  was  wounded, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  more  they  would  have  shared  the 
fate  of  the  first  detachment.  It  was  at  this  critical  moment 
they  arrived,  and  suddenly  pouring  a  deadly  volley  into 
the  rear  of  the  assailants,  sent  them  to  the  right  about  with 
astonishing  quickness.  The  two  detachments  now  wheeled 
and  poured  a  concentrated  volley  into  the  savages,  which 
sent  them  flying  wildly  over  the  plain.  A  swift  pursuit 
was  commenced,  but  the  fleet  enemy  could  not  be  over- 
taken, and  the  march  up  the  valley  was  scarcely  resisted. 
Stanley,  in  camp,  carefully  watched  the  progress  of  the  fight, 
which  could  be  distinguished  at  first  by  the  volleys  of  his 
soldiers,  and  when,  receding  in  the  distance,  these  could  be 
no  longer  heard,  by  the  puffs  of  smoke  which  showed  where 
the  pursuit  led.  Bat  at  length  smoke  of  a  different  char- 
acter began  to  ascend  from  the  quiet  valley.  To  the  right 
and  left  the  dark  columns  obscured  the  noonday  sun,  and 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  the  plain,  with  its  hundreds  of 
villages  of  thatched  huts,  presented  one  wide  conflagration, 
till  the  murky  mass  of  cloudy  vapor,  as  it  rolled  heaven- 
ward, made  it  appear  like  a  second  Sodom,  suffering  the 


AN   UNFORTUNATE   EXPERIENCE.  397 

vengeance  of  heaven.  To  the  distance  of  eight  miles 
Stanley  could  see  the  jets  of  smoke  that  told  of  burning 
villages.  He  had  delayed  to  the  last  moment  hostile  action, 
but  having  once  commenced  it  he  meant  to  leave  behind 
him  no  j^ower  of  retaliation. 

It  was  a  victorious  but  sad  day,  and  the  return  of  the 
detachments  was  anything  but  a  triumphal  march,  for  they 
bore  back  twenty-one  dead  men,  besides  the  wounded, 
while  they  could  report  but  thirty-five  of  the  enemy  killed. 
So  little  difference  in  the  number  of  the  slain,  when  one 
was  the  pursued  and  the  other  the  pursuing  party,  and 
when  the  former  was  armed  only  with  spears  and  bows, 
and  the  latter  with  the  deadly  rifle,  seems  at  first  sight 
unaccountable,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that  the 
unfortunate  detachment  that  was  surrounded  and  massacred 
to  a  man,  furnished  almost  the  entire  list  of  the  killed. 

The  camp  was  at  peace  that  night,  but  it  was  a  sad 
peace.  A  few  more  such  victories  as  this  and  Stanley 
would  be  left  without  an  expedition. 

This  unfortunate  experience  with  these  people  showed 
the  danger  of  his  undertaking  a  new  route.  His  object 
was  not  to  travel  among  new  people  but  to  reach  the  lake 
region  with  his  boat  and  settle  great  geographical  problems 
and  establish  certain  facts  having  an  intimate  bearing  on 
the  future  of  Africa.  Yet  by  his  course  he  obtained  really 
no  new  and  valuable  information,  but  imperiled  and  well- 
nigh  ruined  the  expedition  fitted  out  with  so  much  expense 
and  care. 

It  was  the  nearest  course  to  the  lake,  yet  the  long  one  by 
which  Speke  reached  it  was  the  safest.  He  had  been  in  a 
perilous  position,  and  it  was  clearly  his  own  foresight  that 
saved  him.  The  appointment  of  a  courier  or  swift  runner 
to  each  detachment  to  act  as  a  telegraph,  would  probably 
have^  occurred  to  few,  yet  this  saved  certainly  one  detach- 


398  THE   VALLEY   OF   DESTRUCTION". 

ment  from  destruction  and  how  much  more  no  one  can 
tell. 

But  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  vengeance  he  had 
taken   and   the   devastation   he   had   wrought.     He   had 
resolved   to  teach  those  savage  negroes  a  lesson  on 'the 
danger  of  treachery  to  strangers,  and  he  meant,  now  he 
had  commenced  it,  to  make  it  thorough  and  complete,  and 
so  next  morning  he  sent  off  sixty  men  to  proceed  to  the 
farthest  end  of  the  valley,  some   eight   miles  away,  and 
destroy  what  yet  remained ;  passing  on  through  the  ruins  of 
the  villages,  they  came  to  a  large  village  in  the  extreme 
north-east.     A  very  slight  resistance  was  made  here,  and 
they  entered  it  and  applied  the  torch,  and  soon  it  shared 
the  fate  of  all  the  rest.     Before  they  destroyed  it,  however, 
they  loaded  themselves  with  grain.     Provisions  were  now 
plenty,  for  the   frightened   negroes   had   left  everything 
behind  them  in  their  flight.     There  was  no  longer  any 
need   of  purchasing   food,   the  valley   was   depopulated, 
and  all  the  accumulated  provisions  of  the  inhabitants  at 
the  mercy  of  the  victors.     Finding  he  had  enough  to  last 
the  expedition  six  days,  Stanley   next  morning  started 
westward  before  day-break,  and  was  soon  far  away  from 
this  valley  of  destruction,  leaving  the  thoroughly  humbled 
natives  to  crawl  back  to  the  ashes  of  their  ruined  homes. 
Without  further  trouble,  in  three  days,  he  reached  Iramba. 
Here  he  halted  and  took  a  calm  survey  of  his  condition  and 
prospects.     He  found   that  out  of  the  more  than  three 
hundred  men  with  which  he  had  left  the  coast  but  one 
hundred  and  ninety-four  remained. 

Sickness,  desertion  and  battle  had  reduced  his  number 
over  a  third  before  he  had  reached  the  point  where  his 
actual  labors  were  to  commence.  It  was  not  a  pleasant 
look-out ;  for,  although  two  hundred  men,  well  armed  with 
rifles,  made  a  formidable  force  in  a  country  where  only 


Stanley's  controlli^'g  faith.  399 

arrows  and  spears  were  used,  still"  this  heavy  ratio  of  loss 
must  stop  or  the  expedition  stop.  He  was  not  in  a  country 
where  he  could  recruit  soldiers,  and  each  one  lost  was  a 
dead  loss,  and  thousands  of  miles  of  exploration  lay  before 
him,  in  prosecuting  which  he  knew  not  how  many  battles 
would  be  fought,  nor  how  much  sickness  have  to  be  encoun- 
tered. It  would  not  seem  a  difficult  piece  of  arithmetical 
calculation  to  determine  how  long  three  hundred  men 
would  last  if  one-third  disappeared  in  three  months,  or 
how  many  men  it  would  require  to  prosecute  his  labors 
three  years.  But  Stanley  never  seemed  to  act  as  though 
he  thought  defeat  possible.  AVhether  his  faith  was  in 
God,  himself  or  his  star,  it  was  nevertheless  a  strong  and 
controlling  faith.  Still,  now  and  then  it  leaks  out  that  he 
was  perfectly  conscious  of  the  desperate  nature  of  his  con- 
dition, and  felt  that  disease,  which  carried  off  his  friends 
and  retainers,  or  the  spear,  might  end,  at  any  moment,  his 
explorations  and  his  life. 

Though  out  of  Urimi  at  last,  he  found  the  natives  of 
Iramba  a  very  little  improvement  on  those  of  the  former 
district.  Mirambo  was  their  terror,  and  hence  they  were 
susj^icious  of  all  strangers.  Again  and  again  he  was  mis- 
taken for  this  terrible  chieftain,  and  narrowly  escaped 
being  attacked.  In  fact,  this  formidable  warrior  wag 
fighting  at  one  time  within  a  day's  march  of  him. 

Urukuma  was  the  next  district  he  entered  after  Iramba, 
and  he  found  it  thickly  peopled  and  rich  in  cattle.  It 
consisted  for  the  most  part  of  rolling  plains,  with  scattered 
chains  of  jagged  hills.  He  was  on  the  slope  that  led  to  the 
Nyanza,  and  the  descent  was  so  gradual,  that  he  expected 
to  find  the  lake,  whose  exploration  he  designed  to  make 
thorough  and  complete,  comparatively  shallow,  although  it 
covered  a  vast  area.  At  last  he  reached  a  little  village, 
not  a  hundred  yards  firom  the  shore,  and  encamped.     At 


400  A   NEW   COUNTRY. 

this  point  he  describes  the  topography  of  the  new  country 
he  had  passed  over.     He  says : 

"  As  far  as  Western  Ugogo  I  may  pass  over  without  at- 
tempting to  describe  the  country,  as  readers  may  obtain  a 
detailed  account  of  it  from  *  How  I  Found  Livingstone.* 
Thence  north  is  a  new  country  to  all,  and  a  brief  descrip- 
tion of  it  may  be  interesting  to  students  of  African 
geography. 

"  North  of  Mizanza  a  level  plain  extends  as  far  as  the 
frontier  of  Urandawi,  a  distance  of  thirty-five  miles  (Eng- 
lish). At  Mukondoku  the  altitude,  as  indicated  by  two 
first-rate  aneroids,  was  two  thousand  eight  hundred  feet. 
At  Mtiwi,  twenty  miles  north,  the  altitude  was  two  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet.  Diverging  west 
and  north-west,  we  ascend  the  slope  of  a  lengthy  mountain 
wall,  apparently,  but  which,  upon  arriving  at  the  summit, 
we  ascertain  to  be  a  wide  plateau,  covered  with  forests. 
This  plateau  has  an  altitude  of  three  thousand  eight  hundred 
feet  at  its  eastern  extremity ;  but,  as  it  extends  westward  it 
rises  to  a  height  of  four  thousand  five  hundred  feet.  It 
embraces  all  Uyanzi,  Unyanyembe,  Usukuma,  Urimi  and 
Iramba — ^in  short,  all  that  part  of  Central  Africa  lying 
between  the  valley  of  the  Rufiji  south  and  the  Victoria 
Nyanza  north,  and  the  mean  altitude  of  this  broad  upland 
cannot  exceed  four  thousand  five  hundred  feet.  From  Mi- 
zanza to  the  Nyanza  is  a  distance  of  nearly  three  hundred 
geographical  miles ;  yet,  at  no  part  of  this  long  journey  did 
the  aneroids  indicate  a  higher  altitude  than  five  thousand 
one  hundred  feet  above  the  sea. 

"  As  far  as  Urimi,  from  the  eastern  edge  of  the  plateau, 
the  land  is  covered  with  a  dense  jungle  of  acacias,  which, 
by  its  density,  strangles  all  other  species  of  vegetation. 
Here  and  there,  only  in  the  cleft  of  a  rock,  a  giant  euphor- 
bia may  be  seen,  sole  lord  of  its  sterile  domain.     The  soil 


GEOLOGICAL   DESCRIPTION.  401 

is  shallow,  and  consists  of  vegetable  mould,  mixed  largely 
with  sand  and  detritus  of  the  bare  rocks,  which  crown  each 
knoll  and  ridge,  and  which  testify  too  plainly  to  the  vio- 
lence of  the  periodical  rains. 

"  In  the  basin  of  Matongo,  in  Southern  Urimi,  we  were 
instructed  by  the  ruins  and  ridges,  relics  of  a  loftier  upland, 
of  what  has  been  effected  by  nature  in  the  course  of  long 
ages.  No  learned  geological  savant  need  ever  expound  to 
the  traveler  who  views  these  rocky  ruins,  the  geological 
history  of  this  country.  From  a  distance  we  viewed  the 
glistening  naked  and  riven  rocks  as  a  singular  scene ;  but 
when  we  stood  among  them,  and  noted  the  appearance  of 
the  rocky  fragments  of  granite,  gneiss  and  porphyry  peeled 
as  it  were  rind  after  rind,  or  leaf  after  leaf,  like  an  arti- 
choke, until  the  rock  was  wasted  away,  it  seemed  as  if 
Dame  Nature  has  left  these  relics,  these  hilly  skeletons,  to 
demonstrate  her  laws  and  career.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if 
she  said,  *  Lo,  and  behold  this  broad  basin  of  Matongo,  with 
its  teeming  villages  and  herds  of  cattle  and  fields  of  corn, 
surrounded  by  these  bare  rocks — in  primeval  time  this 
land  was  covered  with  water,  it  was  the  bed  of  a  vast  sea. 
The  waters  were  dried,  leaving  a  wide  expanse  of  level 
land,  upon  which  I  caused  heavy  rains  to  fall  five  months 
out  of  each  year  during  all  the  ages  that  have  elapsed 
since  first  the  hot  sunshine  fell  upon  the  soil.  The  rains 
washed  away  the  loose  sand  and  made  deep  furrows  in 
course  of  time,  until  in  certain  places  the  rocky  kernel 
under  the  soil  began  to  appear.  The  furrows  became 
enlarged,  the  waters  frittered  away  their  banks  and  con- 
veyed the  earth  away  to  lower  levels,  through  which  it 
wore  away  a  channel,  first  through  the  soil  and  lastly 
through  the  rock  itself,  which  you  may  see  if  you  but 
walk  to  the  bottom  of  that  basin.  You  will  there  behold 
a  channel  worn  through  the  solid  rock  some  fifty  feet  in 


402  PROCESS   OF   TRANSFORMATION. 

depth ;  and  as  you  look  on  that  you  will  have  some  idea 
of  the  power  and  force  of  the  tropical  rains.  It  is  through 
that  channel  that  the  soil  robbed  from  these  rocks  has  been 
carried  away  toward  the  Nyanza  to  fill  its  depths  and  in 
time  make  dry  land  of  it.  Now  you  may  ask  how  came 
these  once  solid  rocks,  which  are  now  but  skeletons  of  hills 
and  stony  heaps,  to  be  thus  split  into  so  many  fragments  ? 
Have  you  never  seen  the  effect  of  water  thrown  upon  lime  ? 
The  solid  rocks  have  been  broken  or  peeled  in  an  almost 
similar  manner.  The  tropic  sun  heated  the  face  of  these 
rocks  to  an  intense  heat,  and  the  cold  rain  falling  upon  the 
heated  surface  caused  them  to  split  and  peel  as  you  see 
them.' 

"This  is  really  the  geological  history  of  this  region 
simply  told.  Ridge  after  ridge,  basin  after  basin,  from 
Western  Ugogo  to  the  Nyanza,  tells  the  same  tale ;  but  it 
is  not  until  we  enter  Central  Urimi,  that  we  begin  to  marvel 
at  the  violence  of  the  process  by  which  nature  has  trans- 
formed the  face  of  the  land.  For  here  the  perennial 
springs  and  rivulets  begin  to  unite  and  form  rivers,  after 
collecting  and  absorbing  the  moisture  from  the  water-shed ; 
and  these  rivers,  though  but  gentle  streams  during  the  dry 
season,  become  formidable  during  the  rains.  It  is  in  Cen- 
tral Urimi  that  the  Nile  first  begins  to  levy  tribute  upon 
Equatorial  Africa,  and  if  you  look  upon  the  map  and  draw 
a  line  east  from  the  latitude  of  Ujiji  to  longitude  thirty-five 
degrees  you  will  strike  upon  the  sources  of  the  Leewumbu, 
which  is  the  extreme  southern  feeder  of  the  Victoria 
Nyanza. 

"  In  Iramba,  between  Mgongo  Tembo  and  Mombiti,  we 
came  upon  what  must  have  been  in  former  times  an  arm 
of  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  It  is  called  the  Lumamberri 
Plain,  after  a  river  of  that  name,  and  is  about  forty  miles 
in  width.     Its  altitude  is  three  thousand  seven  hundred 


THE  SHIMEEYU   KIVEE.  403 

and  seventy-five  feet  above  tlie  sea  and  but  a  few  feet  above 
Victoria  Nyanza.  We  were  fortunate  in  crossing  the 
broad,  shallow  stream  in  the  dry  season,  for  during  the 
masika  or  rainy  season  the  plain  is  converted  into  a  wide 
lake. 

"  The  Leewumbu  Kiver,  after  a  course  of  a  hundred  and 
seventy-five  miles,  becomes  known  as  the  Monaugh  Kiver, 
in  Usukuma.  After  another  run  of  a  hundred  miles,  it  is 
converted  into  Shimeeyu,  under  which  name  it  enters  the 
Victoria  east  of  this  port  of  Kagehyi.  Roughly  the  Shi- 
meeyu may  be  said  to  have  a  length  of  three  hundred  and 
fifty  miles." 


CHAPTER  XXY. 

EXPLORING   THE   VICTOEIA   NYANZA. 

MUSTERING  HIS  FORCE— THE  DEATH  EOLL— SELECTING  A  CKEW  OP  ELEVEN  MEN,  HE  SETS 
SAIL— LEAVES  THE  CAMP  IN  CHAKGE  OF  POCOKE  AND  BARKER—"  SPEICE'S  BAY  " — COASTING 
NORTHWARD— SHIMEEYTJ  EIVER— A  LARGE  ISLAND— DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  SHORES  AND 
PEOPLE— STRANGE  STORIES  TOLD  HIM— A  LONELY  CHANNEL— SUPERSTITION  OP  THE  NATIVES 
— "  BRIDGE  island"— UNDER  THE  EQUATOR— STANLEY  LOOKED  LTON  AS  A  BEING  FROM 
ANOTHER  WORLD— FLEEING  FROM  HIPPOPOTAMI— TREACHERY— A  NARROW  ESCAPE— THREE 
QUARTERS  OF  THE  LAKE   THOROUGHLY  EXPLORED. 

STANLEY  felt,  as  he  stood  and  looked  off  on  the  broad 
expanse  of  water,  like  one  who  had  achieved  a  great 
victory,  and  said  that  the  wealth  of  the  universe  could  not 
then  bribe  him  to  turn  back  from  his  work.  The  boat  of 
a  white  man  had  never  been  launched  on  its  surface,  and 
he  longed  to  see  the  Lady  Alice  afloat,  that  he  might 
change  the  guesses  of  Livingstone,  Speke  and  others,  into 
certainty.  He  had  started  to  complete  Livingstone's  un- 
finished work,  and  now  he  was  in  a  fair  way  to  do  it.  How 
much  Cameron,  who  was  somewhere  in  the  interior  on  the 
same  mission,  had  accomplished,  he  did  not  know,  he  only 
knew  that  with  no  boat  at  his  command,  like  the  Lady 
Alice,  that  he  had  transported  through  so  many  hundreds 
of  miles  of  jungle,  his  movements  would  be  very  much 
crippled. 

He  now  mustered  his  entire  force,  to  see  what  he  had  to 
rely  on  before  setting  out,  and  found  it  to  consist  of  three 
white  men  and  one  hundred  and  six  Wanguana  soldiers,  twen- 
ty-eight having  died  since  leaving  Itwru  thirty  days  before, 
or  at  an  average  of  nearly  one  a  day.  This  was  a  gloomy 
prospect.     Before  beginning  his  real  work  one-half  of  his 

404 


STRAJS^GE  TALES   OF   DWARFS   AND   GIANTS.  405 

entire  expedition  had  disappeared.  Dysentery  had  been 
the  great  scourge  that  had  thinned  their  ranks  so  fearfully. 
Stanley  in  the  first  place  was  not  a  physician,  while  even 
those  remedies  which  ordinarily  might  have  proved  effica- 
cious were  rendered  well-nigh  useless  by  the  necessity  of 
constant  marching.  Kest  alone  would  have  cured  a  great 
many,  but  he  felt  compelled  to  march.  Whether  the  ne- 
cessity for  marching  with  the  rapidity  he  did,  was  suffi- 
ciently urgent  to  justify  him  in  sacrificing  so  many  lives, 
he  doubtless  is  the  best  judge.  These  poor  men  were  not 
accustomed  to  travel  at  the  rate  he  kept  them  moving. 
Had  they  marched  as  leisurely  as  an  Arab  caravan,  they 
would  have  been  nine  months  or  a  year  in  making  the  dis- 
tance which  Stanley  had  accomplished  in  one  hundred  and 
three  days.  He  was  at  last  on  the  lake  that  Baker  hoped 
to  reach  with  his  steam  vessels,  and  here  he  expected  to 
meet  Gordon,  his  successor,  but  he  evidently  had  not  yet 
arrived,  for  the  natives  told  him  that  no  boats  had  been 
seen  on  the  water.  They  related  strange  tales,  however,  of 
the  people  inhabiting  the  shores.  One  told  him  of  a  race 
of  dwarfs,  another  of  a  tribe  of  giants,  and  another  still  of 
a  people  who  kept  a  breed  of  dogs  so  large  that  even  Stan- 
ley's mastiffs  were  small  in  comparison.  How  much  or 
little  of  this  was  true,  he,  of  course,  could  not  tell,  still  it 
excited  his  curiosity,  and  increased  his  desire  to  explore 
the  country. 

He  reached  the  lake  on  the  28th  of  February,  and  in 
eight  days  had  everything  ready,  and  launched  his  boat. 
He  selected  ten  good  oarsmen,  who,  with  the  steersman 
and  himself,  composed  the  boat's  crew,  and  the  whole  force 
with  which  he  was  to  overcome  all  the  difficulties  that  he 
might  encounter. 

The  camp  was  left  in  charge  of  Frank  Pocoke  and 
young  Barker.      Naming  the  large   body  of  water,  into 


406  NAMING   SPEKE   GULF. 

-svhicli  the  Shimeeyu  and  KiianaK-ivers flowed;  Speke  Gulf, 
in  honor  of  the  distinguished  explorer,  he  sailed  east 
along  the  irregular  coast.  To-day  passing  a  district  thinly 
populated,  to-morrow  a  rugged  hill  country,  through  which 
the  elephants  wandered  in  immense  droves,  and  of  course, 
thronged  with  elephant  hunters,  he  passed  various  tribes, 
until  he  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  E-uano  River,  discharg- 
ing a  large  volume  of  water  into  Speke  Gulf,  but  noth- 
ing in  comparison  with  the  Shimeeyu  and  the  Kagera,  the 
two  great  river  supplies  of  the  lake.  The  former  is  the 
largest  of  all,  and  at. its  mouth  a  mile  wide.  Its  length  is 
three  hundred  and  seventy  miles  and  is,  he  says,  the  ex- 
treme southern  source  of  the  Nile,  thus  settling  a  vexed 
question.  The  gulf  he  named  Speke  Bay  is  on  the  north- 
eastern side,  and  where  he  crossed  it  about  twelve  miles 
wide.  Sterile  plains  succeeded  barren  mountains,  thin 
lines  of  vegetation  along  the  borders  of  the  lake  alone  giv- 
ing space  for  cultivation,  came  and  went  until  they  reached 
the  great  island  of  Ukerewe,  divided  from  the  main-land 
only  by  a  narrow  channel.  This  was  a  true  oasis,  for  it 
was  covered  with  herds  of  cattle,  and  verdue,  and  fruits,  and 
rich  in  ivory.  He  found  the  king  an  amiable  man,  and 
his  subjects  a  peaceful,  commercial  people.  Although  this 
was  a  large  island,  more  than  forty  miles  long,  the  king 
owned  several  of  the  neighboring  islands.  Nothing  of 
importance  occurred  on  this  voyage,  as  day  after  day  they 
wound  in  and  out  along  the  deeply  corrugated  coast  or 
sailed  by  islands,  the  people  on  shore  all  being  friendly. 
They  at  length  came  in  sight  of  the  high  table-land 
of  Majita,  which  Speke  thought  to  be  an  island,  but  which 
Stanley  demonstrated,  by  actual  survey,  to  be  only  a 
promontory.  It  rises  some  three  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  lake,  and  is  surrounded  by  low  brown  plains, 
which,  to  the  distant  observer,  resembles  water. 


M.  ' 


PRAISES   TO    GOSHI.  407 

Stanley  continued  his  course  along  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  lake,  proceeding  northerly,  and  at  last  reached  the 
coast  of  the  Uriri  country,  a  district  of  pastoral  land 
dotted  over  with  fine  cattle.  Bordering  on  this  is  Ugegeya, 
a  land  of  fables  and  wonders,  the  "  El  Dorado  "  of  slave 
hunters  and  traders  in  ivory,  or  it  is  the  natural  home  of 
the  elephant,  which  is  found  here  in  great  numbers.  He 
first  got  sight  of  it  in  crossing  a  broad  bay,  rising  in  a 
series  of  tall  mountains  before  him.  From  their  base  the 
country  rolls  away  to  the  east  in  one  vast  plain  twenty-five 
miles  wide,  over  which  roam  great  herds  of  cattle,  getting 
their  own  living  and  furnishing  plenty  of  meat  to  the 
indolent  inhabitants.  Stanley  constantly  inquired  of  the 
natives  concerning  the  country  inland,  its  character  and 
people,  and  was  told  many  wonderful  stories,  in  which  it 
was  impossible  to  say  how  much  fable  was  mixed.  Among 
other  things,  they  reported  that  about  fifteen  days' 
march  from  this  place,  were  mountains  that  spouted  forth 
smoke. 

Keeping  north,  he  says :  "  We  passed  between  the  Island 
Ugingo  and  the  gigantic  mountains  of  Ugegeya,  at  whose 
base  the  Lady  Alice  seems  to  crawl  like  a  mite  in  a  huge 
cheese,  while  we  on  board  admire  the  stupendous  height, 
and  wonder  at  the  deathly  silence  which  prevails  in  this 
solitude,  where  the  boisterous  winds  are  hushed  and  the 
turbulent  waves  are  as  tranquil  as  a  summer  dream.  The 
natives,  as  they  pass,  regard  this  spot  with  superstition,  as 
well  they  might,  for  the  silent  majesty  of  these  dumb,  tall 
mounts  awe  the  very  storms  to  peace.  Let  the  tempests 
bluster  as  they  may  on  the  spacious  main  beyond  the  cape, 
in  this  nook,  sheltered  by  tall  Ugingo  isle  and  lofty  Goshi 
in  the  main-land,  they  inspire  no  fear.  It  is  this  refuge 
which  Goshi  promises  the  distressed  canoemen  that  causes 
them  to  sing  praises  of  Goshi,  and  to  cheer  one  another 


v^* 


408  BRIDGE   ISLAND. 

when  wearied  and  beniglited  that  Goshi  is  near  to  protect 
them." 

Sailing  in  and  out  among  the  clustering  islands,  they  see 
two  low  isolated  islands  in  the  distance,  and  make  toward 
them  to  camp  there  for  the  night.  "There,"  says  Stanley, 
"  under  the  overspreading  branches  of  a  raangrove  tree  we 
dream  of  unquiet  waters,  and  angry  surfs,  and  threatening- 
rocks,  to  find  ourselves  next  morning  tied  to  an  island, 
which,  from  its  peculiarity,  I  called  Bridge  Island.  While 
seeking  a  road  to  ascend  the  island,  to  take  bearings,  I  dis- 
covered a  natural  bridge  of  basalt,  about  twenty  feet  in 
length  and  twelve  in  breadth,  under  which  one  might 
repose  comfortably,  and  from  one  side  see  the  waves  lashed 
to  fury  and  spend  their  strength  on  the  stubborn  rocks, 
which  form  the  foundation  of  the  arch,  while  from  the 
other  we  could  see  the  boat,  secure  under  the  lee  of  the 
island,  resting  on  a  serene  and  placid  surface  and  shaded 
by  mangrove  branches  from  the  hot  sun  of  the  equator. 
Its  neighborhood  is  remarkable  only  for  a  small  cave,  the 
haunt  of  fishermen."  After  taking  a  survey  of  the  neigh- 
boring main-land,  he  hoisted  sail  and  scudded  along  the 
coast  before  a  freshening  breeze.  At  noon  he  found  him- 
self, by  observation,  to  be  under  the  equator.  Seeing  an 
opening  in  the  lake  that  looked  like  the  mouth  of  a  river, 
he  sailed  into  it  to  find  it  was  only  a  deep  bay.  Coming  in 
sight  of  a  village,  he  anchored  near  it  and  tried  to  make 
friends  with  some  wild-looking  fishermen  on  the  shore,  but 
the  naked  savages  only  "  stared  at  them  from  under  pent- 
houses of  hair,  and  hastily  stole  away  to  tell  their  families 
of  the  strange  apparition  they  had  seen." 

This  sail  of  one  hundred  miles  along  the  coast  of  this 
vast  lake,  though  somewhat  monotonous  and  tame  in  its 
details  to  the  reader,  furnished  one  of  the  most  interesting 
episodes  in  Stanley's  life — not  because  the  scenery  was  new 


A    PHENOMENON   TO   THE  NATIVES.  409 

and  beautiful,  but  because  he,  with  his  white  sail,  and  fire- 
arms, and  strange  dress,  was  as  strange  and  wonderful  to 
these  natives  as  was  Columbus,  with  his  ship,  and  cannon, 
and  cavaliers  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  New  World.  Though 
often  differing  in  appearance,  and  language,  and  manner, 
they  were  almost  uniformly  friendly,  and  in  the  few  cases 
where  they  proved  hostile,  they  were  drunk,  which  makes 
civilized  men,  as  well  as  savages,  quarrelsome.  It  was  fre- 
quently very  difficult  to  win  their  confidence,  and  often 
Stanley  would  spend  hours  in  endeavoring  to  remove  their 
suspicions.  In  this  wild,  remote  home,  their  lives  pass  on 
without  change,  each  generation  treading  in  the  footsteps 
of  the  preceding  one — no  progress,  no  looking  forward  to 
increased  knowledge  or  new  developments.  There  were  no 
new  discoveries  to  arouse  their  mental  faculties,  no  aspira- 
tions for  a  better  condition,  and  they  were  as  changeless  as 
their  tropical  climate.  Hence,  to  them  the  sudden  appear- 
ance of  this  strange  phenomenon  on  their  beautiful  lake 
could  not  be  accounted  for.  It  had  seemingly  dropped 
from  the  clouds,  and  at  the  first  discharge  of  a  pistol  they 
were  startled  and  filled  with  amazement. 

Stanley,  whether  rowing  or  sailing,  kept  close  to  the 
shore,  that  nothing  worthy  of  note  should  escape  him,  fre- 
quently landing  to  ascertain  the  name  of  the  district  he 
was  in,  the  bays  he  crossed,  the  mountains  he  saw,  and  the 
rivers  that  emptied  into  the  lake.  In  short,  he  omitted 
nothing  which  was  necessary  to  a  complete  survey  and 
knowledge  of  this  hitherto  unknown  body  of  water. 

After  leaving  this  bay,  they  came  in  a  short  time  to  a 
river  which  was  full  of  hippopotami.  Two  huge  fellows 
swam  so  near  the  boat  that  Stanley  was  afraid  they  would 
attack  it,  and  ordered  the  men  to  pull  away  from  them. 
Although  hunting  these  huge  beasts  might  be  very  exciting 
sport,  and  a  tolerably  safe  one  in  boats  properly  built,  to 


Jk 


410  A   FOREST   OF   SPEAES. 

expose  the  Lady  Alice,  with  her  slender  cedar  sides,  to 
their  tusks  would  have  been  a  piece  of  folly  close  akin 
to  madness.  Her  safety  was  of  more  consequence  than  all 
the  hippopotami  in  Africa.  He  was  an  explorer,  not  a 
hunter ;  and  to  risk  all  the  future  of  the  former  to  gratify 
the  pleasure  of  the  latter  would  have  shown  him  unfit  to 
command  so  important  an  expedition  as  this.  Like  the 
boat  that  carried  Caesar  and  his  fortunes,  the  Lady  Alice 
bore  in  her  frail  sides  destinies  orreater  than  the  imagination 
can  conceive.  So  hoisting  sail  they  caught  the  freshening 
breeze  and  flew  along  the  ever-changing  shore  lined  with 
villages,  out  of  which  swarmed  a  vast  crowd  of  people, 
showing  a  much  more  densely  populated  district  than  they 
had  yet  seen.  He  found  the  name  of  it  to  be  Mahita ;  and 
wishing  to  learn  the  names  of  some  of  the  villages  he  saw, 
the  boat  was  turned  toward  shore  and  anchored  within  fifty 
yards  of  it,  but  with  a  cable  long  enough  to  let  them  drift 
to  within  a  few  feet  of  it.  Some  half  a  dozen  men  wearing 
small  shells  above  their  elbows  and  a  circle  round  their 
heads  came  down  to  the  beach,  opening  a  conversation 
with  them.  Stanley  learned  the  name  of  the  country,  but 
they  refused  to  tell  him  anything  more  till  he  landed. 
While  getting  ready  to  do  so,  he  noticed  the  numbers  on 
the  shore  increased  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  seemed 
to  be  greatly  excited.  This  aroused  his  suspicions,  and  he 
ordered  the  rowers  to  pull  off  again.  It  was  lucky  he  did, 
for  he  had  scarcely  put  three  lengths  between  him  and  the 
shore,  when  suddenly  out  of  the  bushes  on  each  side  of  the 
spot  where  he  was  to  laud  arose  a  forest  of  spears. 

Stanley  did  not  intend  to  go  away  entirely,  but  lie  off 
till  they  became  less  excited,  but  this  evidence  of  treachery 
caused  him  to  change  his  mind,  and  he  ordered  the  sail  to 
be  hoisted,  and  moved  away  toward  a  point  at  the  mouth 
of  the  cove,  which,  with  the  wind  as  it  was  blowing,  they 


M. 


A   NAEROW   ESCAPE.  411 

could  but  little  more  than  clear.  The  negroes  seeing  this, 
sent  up  a  loud  shout,  and  hurried  off  to  reach  it  before  the 
boat  did.  Stanley  penetrating  their  design,  ordered  the 
sail  to  be  lowered  and  the  rowers  to  pull  dead  to  windward. 
The  discomfited  savages  looked  on  in  amazement  to  see  the 
prize  slip  through  their  fingers  so  easily.  It  was  a  narrow 
escape,  for  had  Stanley  landed,  he  would  doubtless  have 
been  overpowered,  before  he  could  use  his  weapons,  and 
killed. 

It  was  now  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  savages  made 
no  attempt  to  follow  them,  and  at  dusk,  coming  to  a  small 
island,  they  tied  up  and  camped  for  the  night,  lulled  to 
sleep  by  the  murmur  of  the  waves  on  the  beach. 

The  next  day  continuing  their  course,  they  at  last  sailed 
into  the  bay,  which  forms  the  north-eastern  extremity  of 
the  Victoria  Nyanza.  The  eastern  side  of  this  bay  is  lined 
with  bold  hills  and  ridges,  but  at  the  extreme  end  where  the 
Tagaraa  River  comes  in,  the  country  is  flat.  The  expedi- 
tion now  began  to  move  westward  in  its  slow  circumnavi- 
gation of  the  lake,  and  came  at  length  to  Muiwanda. 
Here  they  found  the  savages  friendly,  and  they  landed 
and  obtained  from  them,  at  fair  prices,  such  provisions  and 
vegetables  as  they  desired.  They  also  gave  Stanley  all  the 
information  they  could  of  the  neighboring  country.  They 
told  him  that  the  name  of  the  bay  in  which  they  rode,  and 
which  was  the  extreme  northern  limit  of  the  lake,  was 
Baringo.  They  had  evidently  not  been  great  travelei-s  or 
much  visited  by  any  tribes  living  away  from  their  own 
coast,  for  they  said  that  they  had  never  heard  of  any 
other  lake  great  or  small,  except  that  one — the  Nyanza. 
Considering  that  this  whole  central  region  of  Africa  is 
dotted  with  lakes,  and  that  the  Tanganika,  an  inland  sea, 
is  not  three  hundred  miles  distant,  it  is  evident  they  must 
li-e  very  much  isolated  from  any  but  their  own  people. 


412  THOEOUGH   WOEK. 

Stanley  had  now  surveyed  the  southern,  eastern  and  north- 
eastern shores  of  the  lake,  and  had  taken  thirty-seven  ob- 
servations and  enJ^ered  almost  every  nook  and  cove  of  this 
vast  body  of  water.  He  had  corrected  the  map  of  Speke, 
made  on  the  report  of  the  natives — ^proved  that  he  was 
wrong  in  his  latitude  of  the  lake,  and  taken  such  ample 
notes  that  he  could  make  out  an  accurate  chart  of  that 
portion  he  had  thus  traversed.  He  makes  the  extreme 
eastern  point  of  the  lake  end  in  34°  35'  east  longitude,  and 
83'  43"  north  latitude. 

After  he  had  finished  his  exploration  thus  far,  Stanley 
goes  over  his  route,  giving  a  general  description  of  the 
country,  the  location  and  apj^roximate  size  of  the  various 
districts,  and  general  character  of  the  inhabitants.  The 
north  shore  he  found  indented  with  deep  bays,  and  so  com- 
pletely land-locked,  that  they  might  easily  be  mistaken  for 
separate  lakes,  while  the  islands  clustered  so  thickly  and 
closely  to  the  shore  that  unless  thoroughly  examined,  would 
be  taken  for  portions  of  the  main-land.  But  Stanley  has 
traced  it  out  so  plainly,  that  the  outline  of  the  shore  is  as 
distinct  as  that  of  Lake  Ontario.  J|| 


CHAPTEK,  XXVI. 


EXPLORATION   OF   THE   VICTORIA   NYANZA. 


STANLEY  THE  FIRST  WHITE  MAN  THAT  EVER  SAILED  AROUND  IT— ESTABLISHES  THE  SOCTHERS 
SOVRCE  OF  THE  NILE— TREACHERY  OF  THE  NATIVES— STANLEY'S  REVENGE— A  HOSTILE  FLEET 
SCATTERED  BY  HIM— THREE  MEN  KILLED — TWO  SINGULAR  ISLANDS— THE  RIPON  FALLS— THE 
KILE— CURIOUS  INLETS — MTESA,  KINO  OF  UGANDA— HIS  RECEPTION  OP  STANLEY— IMPOSING 
CEREMONIES— A  NOBLE  NATIVE  SIONARCH— HIS  CAPITAL— HIS  ARMY  AND  LARGE  TERRITORY- 
HALF  CONVERTED  TO  CHRISTIANITY  BY  STANLEY— ANXIOUS  TO  HAVE  MISSIONARIES  SENT  TO 
HIS  COUNTRY- STANLEY'S  MODE  OF  SENDING  THEM  ANT)  THE  KIND  OP  MEN  THEY  SHOULD  BE— 
A  MISSION  ESTABLISHED  AND  BROKEN  UP— FALSE  STATEMENTS  IN  THE  PAPERS  ABOUT  IT 
CORRECTED. 


THE  voyage  continued  along  the  northern  and  then 
western  shore  of  the  lake,  revealing  at  almost  every 
turn  new  features  of  scenery  and  some  new  formation  of 
land  or  new  characteristic  of  the  people,  till  the  journey 
was  like  an  ever-shifting  kaleidoscope.  A  tribe  friendly 
and  trusting  would  be  succeeded  by  one  suspicious  or 
treacherous,  so  that  it  was  impossible  to  be  governed  by 
any  general  rule,  and  Stanley  was  compelled  to  be  con- 
stantly on  the  alert,  watching  the  motions  of  each  tribe 
without  reference  to  the  actions  of  the  last,  and  laying  his 
plans  accordingly.    He  continued  his  course  down  the  west- 

413 


414  TREACHEROUS   NATIVES. 

ern  shore  toward  his  camp  from  which  he  started,  finding 
this  side  more  densely  populated  than  the  others,  and  the 
tribes  that  occupied  it  of  a  more  independent,  fearless  char- 
acter, and  more  inclined  to  hostilities.  At  Uvuma,  an  inde- 
pendent country  and  the  largest  on  the  Victoria  Nyanza, 
the  hostility  took  a  more  determined  form.  The  natives 
made  signs  of  friendship  to  induce  them  to  come  near  the 
shore.  They  did  so,  sailing  up  to  a  few  yards  of  it.  At 
that  point  a  large  mass  of  natives  were  hid  behind  the  trees, 
who  suddenly  rose  and  hurled  a  shower  of  huge  stones  at 
the  boat  in  order  to  sink  it,  several  striking  it.  Stanley 
instantly  ordered  the  helm  to  be  put  hard  up,  and  the  boat 
was  quickly  steered  away  from  the  dangerous  spot,  but  not 
before  Stanley,  enraged  at  this  act  of  treachery,  leveled  his 
revolver  at  the  wretches  and  dropped  one  of  them.  Going 
on  some  miles  farther,  they  entered  a  channel  between 
some  islands  and  the  shore,  where  they  discovered  a  fleet 
of  canoes,  thirteen  in  number,  with  over  one  hundred  war- 
riors in  them,  armed  with  shells,  and  spears,  and  slings. 
The  foremost  one  had  some  sweet  potatoes  aboard,  which 
one  of  the  natives  held  up  as  though  he  wished  to  trade. 
Stanley  ordered  the  crew  to  cease  rowing^ut  as  the  breeze 
was  light  the  sail  was  kept  up,  but  the  pregress  was  so  slow 
that  this  canoe  soon  came  up.  While  he  was  bargaining 
for  the  potatoes,  the  other  boats  approached  and  completely 
surrounded  the  Lady  Alice  and  began  to  reach  over  and 
seize  everything  they  could  lay  hands  on.  Stanley  warned 
them  away  with  his  gun,  when  they  jeered  at  him  and  im- 
mediately seized  their  spears,  while  one  man  held  up  a 
string  of  beads  he  had  stolen  and  dared  Stanley  to  catch 
him.  With  that  promptness  which  has  many  a  time  saved 
his  life  the  latter  drew  his  revolver  and  shot  the  villain 
dead.  Spears  instantly  flashed  in  the  air,  but  Sta,nley 
seizing  his  repeating  rifle  poured  shot  after  shot  into  them, 


CUKIOUS    PHENOMENON.  415 

knocking  over  three  of  them  in  as  many  seconds,  when  the 
amazed  warriors  turned  in  flight.  He  then  seized  his  ele- 
phant rifle  and  began  to  pour  its  heavy  shot  into  their 
canoes,  throwing  them  into  the  wildest  confusion.  As  they 
now  continued  on  their  way,  an  occasional  shot  from  the 
big  gun  waked  the  echoes  of  the  shore  to  announce  before- 
hand what  treatment  treachery  would  receive.  As  they 
kept  on  north  they  felt  the  current  drawing  them  on,  and 
soon  they  came  to  the  Kipon  Falls,  their  foam  and  thunder 
contrasting  strangely  with  the  quietness  of  the  lake  a  short 
time  before,  and  the  silence  and  tranquility  of  the  scene. 
It  was  the  Nile  starting  on  its  long  journey  to  the  Mediter- 
ranean, fertilizing  Egypt  in  its  course.  Coasting  westerly, 
they  came  to  the  island  of  Krina,  where  they  obtained 
guides  to  conduct  them  to  King  Mtesa,  the  most  renowned 
king  of  the  whole  region.  Sending  messengers  to  announce 
to  the  king  his  arrival,  Stanley  continued  to  coast  along 
Uganda,  everywhere  treated  with  kindness,  so  far  as  words 
went,  but  very  niggardly  in  fact. 

He  here  observed  a  curious  phenomenon.  He  discovered 
an  inlet  in  which  there  was  a  perceptible  tide,  the  water  flow- 
ing north  for  two  houi*s  and  then  south  for  the  same  length 
of  time.  On  asking  the  guides  if  this  was  usual,  they  said 
yes,  and  it  was  common  to  all  the  inlets  on  the  coast  of 
Uganda.  At  Beya  they  were  welcomed  by  a  fleet  of  canoes 
sent  to  conduct  them  to  the  king. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  Stanley  landed,  amid  the  waving  of 
flags,  volleys  of  musketry  and  shouts  of  two  thousand 
people,  assembled  to  receive  him.  The  chief  officer  then 
conducted  him  to  comfortable  quarters,  where,  soon  after, 
sixteen  goats,  ten  oxen,  and  bananas,  sweet  potatoes,  plan- 
tains, chickens,  rice,  milk,  butter,  etc.,  etc.,  in  profuse 
quantities  were  sent  him. 


416  MTESA,  KING  OF  UGANDA. 


KING  MTESA. 

In  tlie  afternoon,  the  king  sent  word  that  he  was  ready  to 
receive  him.  Issuing  from  his  quarters,  Stanley  found  him- 
self in  a  street  eighty  feet  broad  and  a  half  a  mile  long,  lined 
with  the  personal  guards,  ojQBcers,  attendants  and  retinue  of 
the  king,  to  the  number  of  three  thousand.  At  the  farther 
end  of  this  avenue  was  the  king's  residence,  and  as  Stanley 
advanced  he  could  dimly  see  the  form  of  the  king  in  the 
entrance,  sitting  in  a  chair.  At  every  step  volleys  of  mus- 
ketry were  fired  and  flags  waved,  while  sixteen  drums 
beaten  together  kept  up  a  horrible  din.  As  he  approached 
the  house,  the  king,  a  tall,  slender  figure,  dressed  in  Arab 
costume,  arose  and  advancing  held  out  his  hand  in  silence, 
while  the  drums  kept  up  their  loud  tattoo.  They  looked 
on  each  other  in  silence.  Stanley  was  greatly  embarrassed 
by  the  novelty  of  the  situation,  but  soon  the  king,  taking  a 
seat,  asked  him  to  be  seated  also,  while  a  hundred  of  his 
captains  followed  their  example.  Lifting  his  eyes  to  the 
king,  Stanley  saw  a  tall  and  slender  man,  but  with  broad, 
powerful  shoulders.  His  eyes  were  large,  his  face  intelli- 
gent and  amiable,  while  his  mouth  and  nose  were  a  great 
improvement  on  those  of  the  ordinary  negro,  being  more 
like  those  of  a  Persian  Arab.  As  soon  as  he  began  to 
speak,  Stanley  was  captivated  Imt.  his  courteous,  affable 
manner.  He  says  he  was  infinitdfy  superior  to  the  sultan 
of  Zanzibar,  and  impressed  you  as  a  colored  gentleman 
who  had  learned  his  manners  by  contact  with  civilized,  cul- 
tivated men,  instead  of  being,  as  he  was,  a  native  of  Cen- 
tral Africa,  who  had  never  seen  but  three  white  men  before 
in  his  life.  Stanley  was  astonished  at  his  native  polish  and 
he  felt  he  had  found  a  friend  in  this  great  king  of  this  part 
of  the  country,  where  the  tribal  territories  are  usually  so 
small.     His  kingdom  extends  through  three  degrees  of 


A   NATURAL   BOKN  KING,  419 

longitude  and  almost  as  many  of  latitude.  He  professes 
Islamism  now,  and  no  cruelties  are  practised  in  his  king- 
dom. He  has  a  guard  of  two  hundred  men,  renegadoes 
from  Baker's  expedition,  and  defalcators  from  Zanzibar, 
and  the  elite  of  his  own  kingdom. 

Behind  his  throne  or  arm-chair,  stood  his  gun-bearers, 
shield-bearers  and  lance-bearers,  and  on  either  side  were 
arranged  his  chief  courtiers,  governors  of  provinces,  etc., 
while  outside  streamed  away  the  long  line  of  his  warriors, 
beginning  with  the  drummers  and  goma-beaters.  Mtesa 
asked  him  many  intelligent  questions,  and  Stanley  found 
that  this  was  not  his  home,  but  that  he  had  come  there 
with  that  immense  throng  of  warriors  to  shoot  birds.  In 
two  or  three  days,  he  proposed  to  return  to  his  capital  at 
Ulagala  or  Uragara  (it  is  difficult  to  tell  which  is  right). 
The  first  day,  for  Stanley's  entertainment,  the  king  gave  a 
grand  naval  review  with  eighty  canoes,  which  made  quite 
an  imposing -display,  which  the  king  with  his  three  hun- 
dred wives  and  Stanley  viewed  from  shore.  The  crews 
consisted  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  men  or  more.  The 
second  day,  the  king  led  his  fleet  in  person  to  show' his 
prowess  in  shooting  birds.  The  third  day,  the  troops  were 
exercised  at  target  practice,  and  on  the  fourth,  the  march 
was  taken  up  for  the  capital.  In  him  Stanley  sees  the 
hope  of  Central  Africa.  He  is  a  natural  born  king  and  tries 
to  imitate  the  manners,  as  he  understands  them,  of  Euro- 
pean monarchs.  He  has  constructed  broad  roads  which 
will  be  ready  for  vehicles  whenever  they  are  introduced. 
The  road  they  traveled  increased  from  twenty  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  as  they  ai^proached  the  capital,  which 
crowned  a  commanding  eminence  overlooking  a  beautiful 
country  covered  with  tropical  fruit  and  trees.  Huts  are 
not  very  imposing,  but  a  tall  flagstaff  and  an  immense  flag 
gave  some  dignity  to  the  surroundings 


420  THE  king's  palace. 

The  capital  is  composed  of  a  vast  collection  of  huts 
on  an  eminence  crowned  by  the  royal  quarters,  around 
which  ran  five  several  palisades  and  circular  courts,  between 
which  and  the  city  runs  a  circular  road  from  one  hun- 
dred to  two  hundred  feet  in  width,  from  whence  radiate 
six  or  seven  magnificent  avenues  lined  with  gardens  and 
huts. 

The  next  day,  Stanley  was  introduced  into  the  palace 
in  state.  The  guards  were  clothed  in  white  cotton  dresses, 
while  the  chiefs  were  attired  in  rich  Arab  costumes.  This 
palace  was  a  large,  lofty  structure  built  of  grass  and  cane, 
while  tall  trunks  of  trees  upheld  the  roof — covered  inside 
with  cloth  sheeting.  On  the  fourth  day,  the  exciting  news 
was  received  that  another  white  man  was  approaching  the 
capital.  It  proved  to  be  Colonel  Lerant  de  Bellfonds  of  the 
Egyptian  service,  who  had  been  dispatched  by  Colonel 
Gordon  to  make  a  treaty  of  commerce  with  the  king  and 
the  khedive  of  Egypt. 

This  Mtesa,  we  said,  was  a  Mohammedan,  having  been 
converted  by  Khamis  Bin  Abdullah  some  four  or  five  years 
before.  This  Arab,  from  Muscat,  was  a  man  of  magnifi- 
cent presence,  of  noble  descent,  and  very  rich,  and  dressed 
in  spendid  Oriental  costume.  Mtesa  became  fascinated 
with  him,  and  the  latter  stayed  with  the  king  over  a  year, 
giving  him  royal  presents  and  dressing  him  in  gorgeous 
attire. 

No  wonder  this  brilliant  stranger  became  to  such  a 
heathen  a  true  missionary.  But  Stanley,  in  a  conversation 
with  the  king,  soon  upset  his  new  faith,  and  he  agreed  at 
once  to  observe  the  Christian  as  well  as  the  Moslem  Sab- 
bath, to  which  his  captains  also  agreed.  He,  moreover, 
caused  the  Ten  Commandments,  and  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
and  the  Golden  Bule,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as 
thyself,"  to  be  written  on  a  board  for  his  daily  perusal. 


A   GOOD   MISSIONARY   NEEDED.  421 

In  stating  this  remarkable  fact,  Stanley  says :  "  Though  I 
am  no  missionary,  I  shall  begin  to  think  I  may  become 
one  if  such  success  is  so  feasible ;"  and  exclaims,  "Oh,  that 
some  pious,  practical  missionary  would  come  here.  What 
a  field  and  harvest  ripe  for  the  sickle  of  the  Gospel. 
Mtesa  would  give  him  everything  he  desired — houses, 
cattle,  lands,  ivory,  etc.  He  might  call  a  province  his 
own  in  one  day."  But  he  says  he  must  not  be  a  theological 
one,  nor  a  missionary  of  creeds,  but  a  practical  Christian, 
tied  to  no  church  or  sect,  but  simply  profess  God  and  His 
Son,  and  live  a  blameless  life  and  be  able  to  instruct  them 
in  building  houses,  cultivating  land,  and  all  those  things 
that  go  to  make  up  human  civilization.  Such  a  man,  he 
says,  would  become  the  savior  of  Africa.  He  begged 
Stanley  to  tell  them  to  come,  and  he  would  give  them  all 
they  wanted. 

The  subjects  of  this  heathen  king  number  not  far  from 
two  millions,  and  Stanley  affirms  that  one  good  missionary 
among  them  would  accomplish  more  toward  the  regenera- 
tion of  Africa  in  one  year  than  all  other  missionaries  on 
the  continent  put  together.  He  suggests  that  the  mission 
should  bring  to  Mtesa  several  suits  of  military  clothes, 
heavily  embroidered,  pistols,  swords,  dinner  service,  etc., 
etc.  This  sounds  rather  strange  to  the  modern  missionary, 
and  seems  like  trusting  too  much  to  "carnal  weapons," 
but  it  is  eminently  practical.  Anything  to  give  the  mis- 
sionary a  firm  footing  on  which  to  begin  his  labors  is 
desirable,  if  not  wrong  in  itself  or  leading  to  wrong.  For 
its  own  use  the  mission  should,  he  says,  bring  also  ham- 
mers, saws,  augers,  drills  for  blasting,  and  blacksmith  and 
carpenter  tools,  etc.,  etc.  In  short,  the  missionary  should 
not  attempt  to  convert  the  black  man  to  his  religious  views 
simply  by  preaching  Christ,  but  that  civilization,  the  hand- 
maiden of  religion,  should  move  side  by  side  with  it  in 


422  FAILURE   OF   A   FORMER   MISSION. 

equal  step.  The  practical  effect  of  tlie  missionary  work,  in 
order  to  influence  the  natives,  must  not  be  merely  a  moral 
change,  which  causes  the  convert  to  abjure  the  rites  and 
follies  of  paganism,  but  to  lift  the  entire  people,  whether 
converted  or  not  to  Christianity,  to  a  higher  plane  of 
civilization.  We  know  there  are  different  theories  on  this 
subject,  but  we  think  that  Stanley's  mode  might  safely  be 
tried.  It  was  tried,  after  a  fashion,  almost  immediately, 
but  the  station  has  been  broken  up  and  the  missionaries 
murdered. 

Perhaps  it  is  as  good  a  place  here  as  anywhere  to  cor- 
rect a  wrong  statement  that  has  been  going  the  rounds 
of  the  papers,  which  puts  Stanley  in  a  false  light.  It 
was  not  pretended  that  King  Mtesa  had  anything  to  do 
with  this  outrage,  but  that  a  tribe  with  which  Stanley 
had  had  a  fight,  killing  some  of  its  number,  committed 
it  in  revenge  for  what  he  did.  The  truth  is,  the  mis- 
sion was  established  by  some  enthusiasts,  and  some  three 
or  four  started  with  false  views  and  hopes  entirely. 
Only  two  of  them  reached  the  ground,  one  of  them  not 
being  a  minister.  They  were,  however,  well  received, 
and  allowed  to  go  to  work.  The  king,  or  chief  of  a 
neighboring  tribe,  had  a  daughter  with  whom  a  native 
fell  in  love.  This  man  was  repugnant  to  the  father, 
and  he  refused  to  let  him  have  his  daughter  for  a  wife. 
The  consequence  was  they  eloped  and  fled  to  the  island 
on  which  the  missionaries  were  stationed,  and  placed 
themselves  under  their  protection  and  remained  with 
them.  The  enraged  savage  heard  of  this,  and  doubtless 
believing  that  the  missionaries  had  connived  at  the  elope- 
ment— certainly  harbored  the  fugitives  against  his  wish — 
attacked  the  station  and  murdered  the  missionaries.  How 
much  or  how  little  they  were  to  blame,  or  if  not  guilty 
of  any  wrong,  how  unwisely  they  acted,  they  unfortu- 


AN   ACT   OF   WILD   JUSTICE.  423 

nately  do  not  live  to  tell  us.  But  Stanley's  conduct  in 
that  region  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  tragedy.  It  was 
an  act  of  wild  justice  by  an  enraged  and  savage  chief- 
tain, and  militates  in  no  way  against  carrying  out  the  pro- 
ject of  Stanley. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

STANLEY  CONTINUES  HIS  EXPLORATIONS— DRUNKEN  NATIVES— A  SUSPICIOUS  RECEPTION— A 
PEACEFUL  NIGHT— A  WILD  WAKING  UP— A  STARTLING  SPECTACLE— HURRIED  DEPARTURE— 
MAGASSA'S  FLEET— lack  OF  FOOD— A  FEARFUL  STORM— BUJIBIREH  ISLAND — A  BRIGHT  PROS- 
PECT—STANLEY ENTRAPPED— IN  DEADLY  PERIL— A  CROWD  OF  DEMONS— A  FEARFUL  NIGHT- 
PROMPT  ACTION— BARELY  SAVED— SWIFT  AND  TERRIBLE  REVENGE- A  FRIGHTFUL  STORM— 
REFUGE  ISLAND— A  GRATEFUL  CAMP— PROVISIONS  SECURED— ANOTHER  STORM— A  STAUNXH 
BOAT— STEERING  FOR  CAMP— HIS  JOYFUL  GREETING— EXOTEMENT  OP  THE  MEN— THE  SECRET 
Oy  THE  men's  AFFECTION  FOR  HIM. 

THOUGH  the  royal  hospitality  was  very  grateful  after 
his  long  toils  and  the  intercourse  with  a  white  man  in 
that  remote  land  was  refreshing,  and  he  longed  to  rest,  yet 
Stanley  felt  he  must  be  about  his  work.  To  finish  this 
would  require  much  time,  and  he  had  now  been  long 
absent  from  his  men,  who  might  prove  intractable  while 
he  was  away,  and  he  was  anxious  to  get  back,  for  the 
exploration  of  this  lake  was  only  the  beginning  of  what  he 
proposed  to  do. 

With  two  canoes  belonging  to  his  friend,  King  Mtesa 
accompanying  him  as  an  escort  until  the  grand  admiral  of 
his  sable  majesty,  Magassa,  who,  with  thirty  canoes,  had 
been  detached  for  his  service,  should  overtake  him,  he  set 
sail  from  the  river  and  camped  that  night  on  a  smooth, 
sandy  beach,  at  a  point  called  Kagya.  The  natives  who 
lived  there  received  them  in  a  friendly,  and  for  African 
negroes,  hospitable  manner.  Stanley  took  this  as  a  good 
augury  of  the  reception  he  should  meet  with  along  the 
coast  of  Usongora,  which  he  designed  to  explore. 

In  the  morning  he  again  set  sail,  and  sweeping  leisurely 
along,  came  in  the  afternoon  to  the  village  of  Makongo. 

424 


A   SUSPICIOUS   EECEPTION.  425 

As  the  Lady  Alice  approached  the  shore,  he  saw  a  crowd 
of  naked  savages  squatted  on  the  ground,  sucking  the 
everlasting  pombe,  or  beer,  through  a  straw,  just  as  white 
men  do  punch  or  a  sherry  cobbler.  As  the  boat  reached 
the  shore  the  chief,  with  the  vacant  stare  of  a  drunkard, 
arose  and  reeled  toward  him  and  welcomed  him  in  a 
friendly  though  maudlin  manner.  The  natives  also  ap- 
peared good-natured  and  quite  content  with  their  arrival. 
After  they  had  satisfied  their  curiosity  by  examining  him 
and  his  boat,  they  went  away,  leaving  him  to  arrange  his 
camp  for  the  night  and  prepare  his  supper.  The  sun  went 
down  in  glory  beyond  the  purple  mountains — a  slight 
ripple  dimpled  the  surface  of  the  lake,  while  slender 
columns  of  smoke  ascended  here  and  there  along  the  shore 
from  the  huts  of  the  natives  ;  and  all  was  calm  and  peace- 
ful, though  wild  and  lonely.  As  night  came  down,  and 
the  stars,  one  by  one,  came  out  in  the  tropical  sky,  Stanley 
and  his  chosen  men  stretched  themselves  on  their  mats, 
and,  unsuspicious  of  danger,  fell  asleep.  About  ten  o'clock 
he  was  suddenly  awakened  by  a  loud  and  hurried  beating 
of  drums,  with  ever  and  anon  a  chorus  of  shrieks  and  yells 
that  rung  through  the  clear,  still  air  with  a  distinctness 
and  sharpness  that  made  the  blood  shiver.  Stanley  imme- 
diately aroused  his  men,  and  they  listened,  wondering  what 
it  foreboded.  The  lake  was  still  below  and  the  heavens 
calm  and  serene  above,  but  all  around  it  seemed  as  if 
demons  of  the  infernal  regions  were  out  on  their  orgies. 
Stanley  thought  it  was  the  forerunner  of  an  attack  on  the 
camp,  but  Mtesa's  men,  the  Waganda,  told  him  that  the 
drumming  and  yelling  were  the  wild  welcome  of  the 
natives  to  a  stranger.  He  doubted  it,  for  he  had  seen  too 
many  savage  tribes,  and  knew  their  customs  too  well  to 
believe  this  blood-curdling,  discordant  din  was  a  welcome 
to  him. 


M 


426  STANLEY   ENTRAPPED. 

It  is  strange  that  lie  did  not  at  once  quietly  launch,  his 
boat  and  lie  off  the  rest  of  the  night  a  little  way  from  the 
shore  till  morning,  and  see  what  it  all  meant.  It  would 
seem  that  ordinary  j^rudence  would  have  prompted  this. 
His  neglect  to  do  so,  very  nearly  cost  him  his  life,  and 
ended  there  his  explorations.  For  some  reason  or  other, 
which  he  does  not  give,  he  determined  to  remain  where  he 
was,  contenting  himself  with  the  precaution  of  placing  his 
weapons  close  beside  him,  and  directing  his  eleven  men  to 
load  their  guns  and  put  them  under  their  mats.  He  lay 
.down  again,  but  not  to  sleep,  for  all  night  long  the  furious 
beat  of  drums  and  unearthly  yells  rung  out  over  the  lake, 
keeping  him  not  only  awake,  but  anxious.  At  day- 
break he  arose,  and  as  he  stepped  out  of  his  tent,  he  started 
as  if  he  had  seen  an  apparition,  for  in  the  gray  light  of 
morning,  he  saw  five  hundred  naked,  motionless  forms, 
with  bows,  shields  and  spears,  standing  in  a  semicircle 
around  him,  and  completely  cutting  him  off  from  his  boat 
and  the  lake.  It  was  a  fearful  moment,  and  to  his  inquiry 
what  it  meant,  no  answer  was  given.  There  was  no  shout- 
ing or  yelling,  none  of  the  frantic  gesticulations  so  com- 
mon to  the  African  savage.  On  the  contrary,  they  wore  a 
calm  and  composed,  though  stern  and  determined  aspect. 
Shoulder  to  shoulder  like  a  regiment  of  soldiers  they  stood, 
the  forest  of  spears  above  them  glittering  in  the  early  light. 
There  was  nothing  to  be  done — Stanley  was  entrapped,  and 
with  the  first  attempt  to  escape  or  seize  his  rifle  would  be 
transfixed  by  a  hundred  spears.  It  was  too  late  to  repent 
the  folly  of  not  heeding  the  warning  of  the  night  before, 
and  so  he  calmly  stood  and  faced  the  crowd  of  stern  malig- 
nant faces.  For  some  minutes  this  solitary  white  man  met 
glance  for  glance,  when  the  drunken  chief  of  the  day  be- 
fore stalked  into  the  semicircle,  and  with  a  stick  which  he 
held  in  his  hand  forced  back  the  savages  by  flourishing  it 


A   HURRIED   DEPARTURE.  427 

in  their  faces.  He  then,  advanced,  and  striking  the  boat  a 
furious  blow,  shouted  "be  off,"  and  to  facilitate  matters,  took 
hold  and  helped  launch  it.  Stanley  was  only  too  glad  to 
obey  him,  and  his  heart  bounded  within  him  as  he  felt  the 
keel  gliding  into  deep  water,  and  soon  a  hundred  rods  were 
between  him  and  the  savages  that  lined  the  shore.  The 
Wagonda  were  still  on  the  beach,  and  Stanley  prepared  to 
sweep  it  with  a  murderous  fire  the  moment  they  were  at- . 
tacked.  So  dense  was  the  crowd  of  natives,  that  had  he 
fired  at  that  close  range,  he  would  have  mowed  them  down 
with  fearful  slaughter.  But  although  there  was  much  loud 
wrangling  and  altercation,  they  were,  at  length,  allowed  to 
embark,  and  followed  him  as  he  sailed  away  toward  the 
isle  of  Musua.  He  had  learned  a  lesson  that  he  did  not 
soon  forget. 

The  whole  had  been  a  strange  proceeding,  and  why  he 
was  not  killed,  when  so  completely  in  their  power,  can  be 
accounted  for  only  on  the  ground  that  they  were  in  Mtesa's 
dominions,  and  feared  he  would  take  terrible  revenge  for 
the  murder.  Later  in  the  day  this  drunken  chief  came  to 
visit  him  on  the  island,  and  demanded  why  he  had  come 
and  what  he  wanted.  Being  told,  he  went  away,  and  sent 
three  branches  of  bananas,  and  left  him  and  his  party  to 
their  fate.  They  rested  here  quietly  till  afternoon,  when 
they  saw  Magassa's  fleet,  coming  slowly  down  the  lake,  steer- 
ing for  a  neighboring  island.  The  canoes  were  beached  and 
the  men  disembarked  and  began  to  prepare  their  camp 
for  the  night.  Stanley  was  getting  impatient  at  these 
delays,  and  thinking  he  would  quicken  Megassa's  move- 
ments by  hastening  forward,  he  set  sail  for  Alice  Island, 
thirty-five  miles  distant.  The  two  chiefs,  with  the  escort- 
ing canoes,  accompanied  him  for  about  a  mile  and  a  half, 
but,  getting  alarmed  at  the  aspect  of  the  weather,  turned 
back,  shouting,  as  they  did  so,  that  as  soon  as  it  moderated 


423  LACK   OF   FOOD. 

tliey  would  follow.  Bowling  along  before  a  spanking  breeze, 
the  little  craft  danced  gayly  over  the  cresting  waves,  and 
when  night  came  down  and  darkness  fell  on  the  lonely  lake, 
kept  steadily  on  and,  finally,  at  midnight  reached  the  island, 
where  they  luckily  struck  upon  a  sheltered  cove  and  came  to 
anchor.  When  morning  dawned  they  found  they  were 
almost  against  the  base  of  a  beetling  cliff,  with  over- 
hanging rocks  all  around  them,  dotted  with  the  fires  of 
the  natives.  These  came  down  to  the  shore  holding  green 
wisps  of  grass  in  their  hands  as  tokens  of  friendliness. 
Stanley  and  his  men  were  hungry,  and  now  rejoiced  in  the 
prospect  of  a  good  breakfast.  But  these  friendly  natives, 
seeing  their  need,  became  so  extortionate  in  tlieir  demands 
that  they  would  not  trade  with  them,  and  Stanley  deter- 
mined to  stear  for  Bumbirch  Island,  twenty-five  miles 
distant,  and  obtain  food. 

The  breeze  was  light  and  they  made  slow  headway,  and 
it  was  evidently  going  to  be  a  long  sail  to  the  island.  As 
the  sun  went  down,  huge  black  clouds  began  to  roll  uj)  the 
sky,  traversed  by  lightning,  while  the  low  growl  of  thunder 
foretold  a  coming  storm.  As  the  clouds  rose  higher  and 
higher  the  lightning  became  more  vivid,  and  the  thunder 
broke  with  startling  peals  along  the  water,  and  soon  the 
rain  came  down  in  torrents,  drenching  them  to  the  skin. 
The  waves  began  to  rise  while  darkness,  black  as  mid- 
night, settled  down  on  the  lake.  The  little  craft  tossed 
wildly  on  the  water,  and  the  prospect  before  them  looked 
gloomy  enough.  Fortunately,  about  midnight,  they  came 
upon  Pocoke  Island,  and  anchored  under  its  lee  amid 
thunder  and  lightning,  and  rain  and  the  angry  roar  of 
the  surf  on  every  side.  All  night  long  the  flashes  lit  up 
the  angry  scene,  while  the  heavy,  tropical  thunder  shook 
the  bosom  of  the  lake.  The  haven  they  had  reached  was 
so  poor  a  protection  that  all  hands  were  kept  bailing,  to 
prevent  the  boat  from  foundering  at  her  anchor 


A  FEARFUL  NIGHT.  429 

"We  have  a  very  faint  idea  in  our  northern  latitudes  of 
what  a  thunder-storm  is  in  the  tropics,  and  the  slight 
affair  that  Stanley  made  of  it  is  one  of  those  apparently 
insignificant  and  yet  most  striking  illustrations  of  his 
character.  Storms  on  the  water — starvation  on  land — 
deadly  perils  of  all  kinds  are  spoken  of  by  him  as  one 
would  speak  of  the  ordinary  incidents  of  travel.  He  has 
no  time,  and  apparently  no  taste,  for  sensational  writing ; 
or  perhaps  it  would  be  nearer  the  truth  to  say — in  his  cool 
courage,  calm  self-reliance  and  apparent  contempt  of  death 
he  does  not  see  the  dramatic  side  of  the  scenes  in  which  he 
performs  so  important  a  part.  The  most  tragic  events — 
the  most  perilous  crises  are  treated  by  him  as  ordinary 
events.  An  escape  so  narrow  that  one's  heart  stops  beating 
as  he  contemplates  it,  he  narrates  with  as  much  coolness 
and  apparent  indifference  as  he  would  his  deliverance  from 
a  disagreeable  companion. 

In  the  morning,  Stanley,  as  he  looked  around  him  and 
saw  the  surf  breaking  on  every  side,  ordered  the  anchor  up 
and  the  sail  hoisted,  for  this  was  too  dangerous  a  place  for 
the  Lady  Alice.  The  thunder-storm  had  passed,  and  a 
stiff  north-east  breeze  had  sprung  up,  before  which  he 
bowled  swiftly  along,  and  in  three  hours  reached  the 
mouth  of  a  quiet  cove  near  the  village  of  Kajuri,  at  the 
south-eastern  extremity  of  Bumbirch  Island.  After  the 
storm  and  peril  of  the  last  forty-eight  hours,  it  was  a  wel- 
come sight  that  greeted  them.  The  green  slopes  of  this 
gem  set  in  the  sparkling  waters  were  laden  with  fruits  and 
covered  with  cattle.  Groves  of  bananas,  herds  of  cattle 
lazily  feeding,  and  flocks  of  goats  promised  an  abundance 
of  food ;  and  Stanley  and  his  men,  as  they  drew  near  the 
lovely,  inviting  shore,  reveled  in  anticipation  of  the  rest 
and  good  cheer  awaiting  them.  Filled  with  the  most 
peaceful  intentions  themselves — their  hearts  made  glad  at 


k~ 


430  TKEACHEKOUS   NATIVES. 

the  sight  of  the  bountiful  provisions  before  them — they 
did  not  dream  of  any  hostility,  when  suddenly  they  heard 
a  wild,  shrill  war-cry  from  the  plateau  above  the  huts  of 
the  village  near  the  shore,  on  which  were  gathered  a  crowd 
of  excited  men.  Stanley  was  surprised  at  this  unexpected 
hostile  demonstration,  and  halted  just  as  the  boat  was  about 
to  ground,  to  ascertain  what  it  meant.  The  savages  in  the 
meantime  were  rushing  wildly  toward  the  shore  in  front 
of  where  the  boat  lay  rocking  on  the  water.  As  they 
approached,  they  suddenly  changed  their  warlike  attitude, 
and,  ceasing  their  loud  yells,  assumed  a  friendly  manner, 
and  invited  them  to  land  in  tones  and  gestures  so  kind 
and  affable  that  Stanley's  first  suspicions  were  at  once  dis- 
armed, and  he  ordered  the  rowers  to  send  the  boat  ashore. 
But  the  moment  the  keel  grated  on  the  pebbly  beach,  all 
this  friendliness  of  manner  changed,  and  the  naked  savages 
rushed  into  the  water,  and,  seizing  the  boat,  lifted  it  up 
bodily  and,  with  all  on  board,  carried  it  high  and  dry  on 
the  bank. 

Stanley  was  terribly  aroused  at  this  sudden  treachery, 
and  reckless  of  consequences,  determined  to  avenge  it,  and 
twice  he  raised  his  revolver  to  shoot  down  the  audacious 
wretches,  but  his  crew  begged  him  to  desist,  declaring 
earnestly  that  these  people  were  friends,  and  that  if  he 
would  wait  a  few  minutes,  he  would  see  that  all  was  right. 
He  accordingly  sat  down  in  the  stern  sheets  and  waited  to 
see  the  end.  In  the  meantime,  the  savages  came  leaping 
from  the  hill-sides,  tossing  their  naked  limbs  in  the  air, 
and  uttering  loud  yells,  till  a  wild,  frantic  multitude  com- 
pletely surrounded  the  boat  in  which  Stanley  still  sat 
unmoved  and  calm.  The  wretches  seemed  crazed  with 
passion,  and  poised  their  spears  as  if  about  to  strike  him,  and 
drew  their  arrows  to  the  head,  one  discharge  of  which  would 
have  riddled  Stanley,  struck  the  boat  by  his  side  with 


SEIZE  Stanley's  oaes.  433 

their  spear  handles,  'gnashed  their  teeth,  foamed  at  the 
mouth,  and  yelled  till  their  eyes  seemed  bursting  from 
their  sockets.  Stanley,  however,  never  moved  nor  uttered 
a  word.  His  life  did  not  seem  worth  a  thought  in  that 
frenzied,  demoniacal  crowd.  But  resistance  and  expostula- 
tion were  alike  usel^,  and  he  could  do  nothing  but  wait 
the  final  assault,  and  then  sell  his  life  dearly  as  possible. 
For  some  strange,  unaccountable  reason,  their  chief, 
Thekha,  kept  them  from  the  last  act  of  violence,  and  at 
last  so  quieted  them  that  Stanley  calmly  asked  him  how 
much  he  demanded  to  let  him  go.  The  most  curious  part  of 
this  whole  affair  is,  that  the  chief  condescended  to  enter 
into  negotiations  with  Stanley.  Everything  the  latter  had 
was  in  the  boat,  and  he  had  only  to  give  the  word,  and  in 
five  minutes  all  was  his.  But  instead  of  doing  this,  he 
struck  up  a  bargain  with  Stanley,  and  agreed  to  let  him  off 
for  four  cloths  and  ten  necklaces  of  large  beads.  Stanley 
at  once  took  them  from  his  packages  and  gave  them  to 
him.  But  no  sooner  had  he  received  them,  than  he  gave 
a  quick  order  to  his  men  to  seize  the  oars  of  the  boat.  In 
a  twinkling,  before  Stanley  had  time  to  think  what  they 
were  about,  the  oars  were  caught  up  and  carried  away. 
The  natives  seeing  through  the  treacherous  trick,  enjoyed 
it  thoroughly,  and  their  loud  laughing  jeers  roused  all  the 
devil  in  Stanley's  nature,  but  he  still  said  nothing.  Having 
got  possession  of  the  oars,  they  thought  he  was  helpless  as 
a  tortoise  on  his  back,  and  became  quiet,  seemingly  en- 
joying the  white  man's  helplessness.  Having  no  fear  of 
his  escape,  they  at  noon  leisurely  walked  to  their  huts  to  get 
their  noonday  meal,  and  to  discuss  what  the  next,  move 
should  be.  Stanley  says  he  was  not  idle,  he  wished  to 
impose  on  the  savages  by  his  indifferent  manner,  but  he 
was  all  the  while  planning  how  to  escape,  and  the  best 
mode  of  meeting  the  attack  when  it  came. 


434  Stanley's  suspicions. 

While  the  savages  were  at  their  dinner,  a  negress  came 
near  them  and  told  them  to  eat  honey  with  Thekha,  as  it 
was  the  only  way  to  save  their  lives,  for  he  had  determined 
to  kill  them  and  take  everything  they  had.  Stanley  per- 
mitted his  coxswain  to  go  to  Thekha  and  make  the  proposi- 
tion to  him  to  eat  honey.  The  wilj^  chief  told  him  to  be 
at  ease,  no  harm  was  intended  them,  and  next  day  he 
would  eat  honey  with  them.  The  coxswain  returned  de- 
lighted, and  reported  the  good  news.  But  Stanley  checked 
the  confidence  of  the  men,  and  told  them  that  nothing  but 
their  own  wit  and  courage  could  save  their  lives.  This  was 
all  a  trick,  and  their  next  move  would  be  to  seize  their  guns, 
as  they  had  the  oars,  when  they  would  be  helpless,  and  by 
no  means  to  leave  the  boat,  but  be  prepared  at  any  mo- 
ment when  he  should  give  the  word  to  act.  The  men  saw 
at  once  the  truth  of  Stanley's  suspicions,  and  kept  close  by 
him. 

Thus  nearly  three  long  hours  passed  away,  neither  he 
nor  his  crew  doing  or  attempting  to  do  anything.  But, 
about  three  o'clock,  the  war-drums  began  again  their  horrid 
din,  and  soon  the  loping,  naked  savages  were  seen  running 
from  every  quarter,  and  in  a  half  an  hour  five  hundred 
warriors  had  gathered  around  the  chief  within  thirty  paces 
of  the  boat.  He  was  sitting  down,  and  when  the  warriors 
were  all  assembled  he  made  them  an  address.  As  soon  as 
he  had  finished,  about  fifty  of  them  dashed  up  to  Stanley's 
men,  and  seizing  his  drum,  bore  it  back  in  triumph.  From 
some  cause  or  other,  this  last  and  apparently  most  harmless 
act  of  all  aroused  Stanley's  suspicions  to  a  point  that  made 
him  act  promptly  and  decisively. 

Perhaps  it  was  their  scornful,  insulting  language,  as  they 
walked  off,  bidding  him  get  his  guns  ready,  as  they  were 
coming  back  soon  to  cut  his  throat.  At  all  events,  the 
moment  he  saw  them  approach  the  chief  with  the  drum, 


ESCAPE   FROM    THE    SAVAGES.  435 

he  shouted  to  his  men  to  push  the  boat  into  the  water. 
The  eleven  men  sprang  to  its  sides,  and  Ufting  it  as  if  it 
had  been  a  toy,  carried  it,  with  Stanley  in  it,  to  the  water's 
edge,  and  shot  it,  with  one  desperate  effort,  far  out  into  the 
lake  and  beyond  their  depth,  and  where  they  had  to  swim 
for  it.  Quickly  as  it  was  done,  the  savages  instantly  de- 
tected the  movement,  and  before  the  boat  had  lost  its 
headway  were  crowding  the  very  edge  of  the  water,  to 
which  they  had  rushed  like  a  whirlwind,  shouting  and 
yelling  like  madmen.  Seizing  his  elephant  rifle,  Stanley 
sent  two  large  conical  balls  into  the  dense  mass  with 
frightful  effect.  Then  pulling  one  of  the  men  in  the  boat, 
and  bidding  him  help  the  others  in,  he  seized  his  double- 
barreled  gun,  loaded  with  buck-shot,  and  fired  right  and 
left  into  the  close-packed,  naked  crowd.  It  was  like  firing 
with  small  shot  into  a  flock  of  pigeons,  and  a  clean  swath 
was  cut  through  the  naked  mass,  which  was  so  stunned  at 
the  horrible  effect,  that  they  ran  back  up  the  slope  without 
hurling  a  spear  or  shooting  an  arrow. 

With  the  oars  gone,  the  great  struggle  would  be  to  get 
out  into  the  open  lake,  where  they  could  hoist  sail ;  for, 
this  once  accompHshed,  they  could  bid  defiance  to  their 
enemies.  Stanley  knew  the  first  move  of  the  savages 
would  be  to  man  their  canoes,  which  lined  the  shore,  and 
surround  his  helpless  vessel  and  overwhelm  him.  He 
therefore  watched  the  first  movement  to  launch  a  canoe, 
and  as  soon  as  a  desperate-looking  savage  made  the  attempt 
he  dropped  him  with  a  bullet  tlirough  his  body.  A  second, 
following  his  example,  fell  on  the  beach,  when  they  pausetl 
at  the  certain  death  that  seemed  to  await  the  man  who 
dared  to  touch  a  boat.  Just  then  Stanley  caught  sight  of 
the  sub-chief,  who  commanded  the  party  that  took  the 
drum,  and  taking  a  cool,  deliberate  aim  at  him  with  his 
elephant  rifle  he  sent  one  of  its  great  conical  balls  tearing 


436  EFFECT   OF   EXPLOSIVE    SHELLS. 

through  his  body,  killing  at  the  same  time  his  wife  and 
infant,  behind  him.  This  terrified  them,  for  there  seemed 
something  supernatural  about  this  deadly  work,  and  they 
ceased  their  efforts  to  launch  the  boats,  and  hastened  to  get 
out  of  the  reach  of  such  fatal  firing.  In  the  meantime  the 
men  were  slowly  working  the  boat  toward  the  mouth  of  the 
cove.  But,  just  as  they  were  feeling  safe,  Stanley  saw  two 
canoes,  loaded  heavily  with  warriors,  push  out  of  a  little 
bay  and  pull  toward  him.  Putting  two  explosive  shells 
into  his  elephant  rifle,  he  waited  till  they  came  within  the 
distance  where  they  would  be  most  destructive,  and  then 
commenced  firing.  He  fired  rapidly,  but  being  a  dead- 
shot,  with  great  accuracy,  and  the  shells,  as  they  struck 
inside  the  canoes,  burst  with  terrible  effect.  Four  shots 
killed  five  men  and  sunk  both  the  canoes,  leaving  the  war^- 
riors  to  swim  ashore.  This  ended  the  fight,  and  the  enraged 
and  baffled  crowd  vented  their  fury  by  shouting  out,  "  Go 
and  die  in  the  Nyanza." 

Stanley's  rapid  deadly  firing  killed  fourteen,  and  wounded 
with  buck-shot  eight,  which  he  coolly  remarks,  "  I  con- 
sider to  be  very  dear  payment  for  the  robbery  of  eight  ash 
oars  and  a  drum,  though  barely  equivalent,  in  our  estima- 
tion, to  the  intended  massacre  of  ourselves."  This  cool- 
blooded  treachery  and  narrow  escaj)e  roused  Stanley's 
wiioie  nature,  and  terrible  as  had  been  the  punishment  he 
had  inflicted,  he  resolved  that  he  would  make  it  more  ter- 
rible still  before  he  had  done  with  them. 

During  the  perils  of  the  next  night  that  followed,  he  had 
plenty  of  time  to  nurse  his  wrath.  Having  got  clear  of 
the  land,  he  hoisted  sail,  and  favored  by  a  light  breeze,  by 
night  was  eight  miles  from  the  treacherous  Bumbireh.  A 
little  after  dark  the  breeze  died  away,  and  he  set  the  men 
to  paddling.  But,  their  oars  being  gone,  they  made  slow 
headway.     At  sunrise  they  were  only  twenty  miles  from 


A   TEKKIFIC    NIGHT.  437 

the  island,  but  near  noon,  a  strong  breeze  springing  up 
from  the  north-west,  they  bowled  along  at  the  rate  of  five 
miles  an  hour,  and  soon  saw  it  sink  in  the  distant  horizon. 
At  sunset  they  saw  an  island  named  Sousa,  toward  which 
they  steered,  hoping  to  reach  it  by  midnight  and  find  a 
safe  haven.  But  about  eight  o'clock  the  breeze  began  to 
increase  till  it  rose  to  a  fierce  gale,  and  the  sail  had  to  be 
taken  in. 

Being  without  oars  they  could  not  keep  the  light  boat 
before  the  wind,  and  she  was  whirled  away  by  it  like  a 
feather,  and  wallowed  amid  the  waves  that  kept  increasing, 
till  it  seemed  impossible  to  keep  much  longer  afloat.  The 
men  strove  desperately  with  their  boards  for  paddles  to 
reach  the  island,  and  get  to  the  leeward  of  it,  till  the  storm 
should  break,  but  it  was  of  no  avail.  They  were  swept  by 
it  like  a  piece  of  drift-wood,  and  the  lightning,  as  it  lit  up 
its  green  sides,  seemed  to  mock  their  despair.  The  terrific 
crash  of  the  thunder,  the  roar  of  the  tempest,  and  the  wild 
waste  of  the  wrathful  water  as  it  was  incessantly  lit  up  by 
the  blinding  flashes,  made  it  the  most  terrific  night  Stanley 
had  ever  passed  in  all  his  wide  wanderings.  Between  the 
dashing  of  the  waves  over  the  gunwale  and  the  downfall- 
ing  deluge  of  rain,  the  helpless  boat  rapidly  filled,  and  it 
required  constant  and  rapid  bailing  to  keep  it  from  going 
to  the  bottom.  The  imagination  cannot  conceive  the 
terrors  that  surrounded  that  little  boat  with  its  helpless 
crew  on  that  storm-swept  lake  during  that  long,  wild 
night.  Above  them,  rushed  the  angry  clouds,  pierced  in- 
cessantly by  the  lightning ;  the  heavy  thunder  shook  the 
very  heavens,  while  all  around  them  were  islands  and 
rocks,  and  a  few  miles  ahead,  the  main-land  peopled  by 
hostile  savages.  Yet,  amid  all  their  terror,  the  men  worn 
out  with  their  long  fasting  and  exhausting  labors,  would 
drop  asleep,  till  awakened  by  the  stern  order  to  bail.     The 


438  A   DOUBLE   DELIVEEANCE. 

men  of  Bumbirch  had  shouted  after  them,  "  go  and  die  in 
the  Nyanza,"  and  they  now  seemed  to  be  prophetic  words. 
Stanley  remembered  them,  and  he  lived  to  make  the  mur- 
derous savages  remember  them,  too.  At  daybreak  the 
tempest  broke,  and  the  waves  not  having  the  heavy  roll  of 
the  ocean,  quickly  subsided,  and  they  saw  they  had  drifted 
eight  miles  off  the  isle  of  Susa,  which  they  had  made  such 
desperate  efforts  to  reach  the  night  before,  while  other 
islands  rose  in  the  distance.  There  was  not  a  morsel  of 
food  in  the  boat,  and  it  was  now  forty-eight  hours  since 
they  had  tasted  any,  yet  the  men  took  to  their  paddles 
cheerfully.  Soon  a  gentle  breeze  set  in  from  the  west- 
ward, and  hoisting  sail,  they  steered  for  an  unknown  island, 
which  Stanley  named  Refuge  Island.  It  was  small  and 
uninhabited,  but  on  exploring  it,  they  discovered  that  the 
natives  Jaad  once  occupied  and  cultivated  it.  To  their  great 
joy,  they  found  green  bananas,  and  a  small  fruit  resembling 
cherries,  but  tasting  like  dates.  Stanley  succeeded,  also,  in 
shooting  two  fat  ducks.  The  men  soon  stripped  these  of 
their  feathers  and  had  them  in  the  pot,  with  which, 
and  the  fruit,  they  made  what  seemed  to  them,  in  their 
famished  condition,  a  right  royal  repast.  The  camp  was 
pitched  close  by  the  sandy  beach,  and  when  night  closed 
sweetly  in  on  .the  wanderers,  "  there  were  few  people  in  the 
world,"  says  Stanley,  "blessed  God  more  devoutly  than  we 
did."  And  well  .they  might,  for  their  double  deliverance, 
from  the  savages  on  shore  and  the  tempest  on  the 
water,  was  almost  miraculous. 

They  rested  here  all  the  next  day  recruiting,  and  then 
set  sail,  and  coming  to  friendly  natives,  laid  in  a  supply  of 
provisions.  While  at  anchor,  some  of  the  men  plucked 
the  poultry  they  had  bought,  and  they  feasted  till  they 
were  thoroughly  satisfied. 

At  midnight. a  favorable  wind  rising,  they  set  sail  for 


STEERING   FOR   CAMP.  439 

Usukuma.  About  three  in  the  morning  they  were  in  the 
middle  of  the  Speke  Gulf,  from  which  they  had  started 
nearly  two  months  before,  and  bound  for  their  camp. 
The  wind  had  died  away,  and  the  water  lay  calm  and 
unruffled  beneath  the  tropical  sky.  But  this  calm  was  only 
the  prelude  to  a  fearful  storm.  Clouds,  black  as  ink, 
began  to  roll  up  the  heavens,  their  edges  corrugated  and 
torn  by  the  contending  forces  that  urged  them  on,  while 
out  from  their  foldings  the  lightning  leaped  in  blinding 
flashes,  and  the  thunder,  instead  of  rolling  in  angry  peals, 
came  down  in  great  crashes  as  if  the  very  frame- work  of 
nature  was  rending,  and  then  the  hail,  in  stones  big  as 
filberts,  beat  down  on  their  uncovered  heads.  The  waves 
rose  to  an  astonishing  height,  and  tore  like  wild  horses 
over  the  lake.  The  boat  became  unmanageable,  and  was 
whirled  along  at  the  mercy  of  the  wind  and  waves.  But 
the  staunch  little  craft  outrode  the  fury  of  the  gale,  with  a 
buoyancy  that  surprised  Stanley. 

Next  morning,  although  almost  under  the  equator,  they 
saw  the  day  dawn  gray,  and  cheerless,  and  raw.  On  taking 
his  observations  Stanley  found  that  he  was  only  about 
twenty  miles  north-west  of  his  camp.  The  news  sent  new 
life  into  the  crew.  They  hoisted  sail,  and,  though  at  first 
the  wind  was  unfavorable,  yet,  as  if  good  luck  had  come 
at  last,  it  shifted  astern,  and,  with  a  full  sail,  they  steered 
straight  for  camp — every  heart  bounding  with  joy. 

The  men  in  camp  discovered  the  boat  when  miles 
away,  and  hurrying  to  the  shore  sent  up  shout  after  shout, 
and  tossed  their  arms  joyfully  in  the  air.  As  the  boat 
drove  swiftly  on,  the  shouts  were  changed  to  volleys  of 
musketry  and  waving  of  flags,  while  "the  land  seemed 
alive  with  leaping  forms  of  glad-hearted  men."  Kumors 
of  their  destruction  had  reached  camp,  and  his  long 
absence  seemed  to  confirm  them,  and  they  had  made  up 


440  AFFECTIONATE  GREETING. 

their  minds,  that,  with  their  leader  lost,  they  must  turn 
back.  As  the  boat  grated  on  the  pebbly  shore,  fifty 
men  leaped  into  the  water  and  seizing  Stanley  lifted  him 
bodily  out,  and,  running  up  the  bank,  placed  him  on  their 
shoulders,  and  danced  around  the  camp  like  madmen.  They 
seemed  unable  to  contain  their  joy.  It  showed  how  strong 
was  the  hold  Stanley  had  on  their  affections.  Stern  in 
enforcing  discipline  and  relentless  in  punishing  crime,  he 
was  always  careful  of  their  welfare,  attentive  to  their 
wants,  just  in  all  his  dealings,  and  generous  in  his  reward 
for  good  behavior  and  faithful  service,  and,  hence,  had 
bound  these  simple  children  of  nature  to  him  with  cords 
of  iron. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

THE  WORK  ACCOMPLISHED— FEELINGS  OF  SATISFACTION— POCOKE'S  EEPOKT— A  KABROW  ESCAPB 
FOE  THE  EXPEDITION— DEATH  OF  BARKER— SWEET  REPOSE— PLEASANT  MEMORIES— FUTURE 
ANTICIPATIONS— WAITING  FOR  MAGASSA— RESOLVES  TO  RETURN  TO  UGANDA  BY  LAND— IS  PRE- 
VENTED—SENDS TO  THE  KING  OF  UKEREWE— HIS  REQUEST  GRANTED— VISITS  HIM— THE  INTER- 
VIEW—ROYAL HOSPITALITY— A  STRATAGEM— STANLEY  STARTS  FOB  UGANDA— A  NEW  CAMP- 
RETURN  TO  THE  OLD  ONE— COKSPIBATOBS  FOILED — REFUGE  ISLAND. 

THE  next  morning,  as  Stanley  looked  out  of  his  tent- 
door  upon  the  broad  and  beautiful  lake  that  stretched 
away  to  the  distant  horizon,  it  was  with  that  intense  feel- 
ing of  satisfaction  with  which  one  contemplates  a  great  and 
perilous  undertaking,  after  well-nigh  abandoned,  at  last 
successfully  accomplished.  The  waters,  flittering  in  the 
morning  sun,  had  but  a  short  time  before  seemed  to  him 
an  angry  foe,  but  now  they  wore  a  friendly  aspect.  They 
seemed  to  belong  to  him.  Livingstone,  and  Speke,  and 
Burton,  and  others  had  looked  on  that  lake,  and  sighed  in 
vain  to  solve  the  mystery  that  enveloped  it,  while  he  had 
not  only  followed  its  winding  shores  their  entire  length,  but 
had  sounded  its  depths  and  fixed  its  geographical  position 
forever.  His  toils  were  over,  and  the  victory  won  in  this 
his  first  great  enterprise,  and  he  could  well  look  forward 
with  hope  to  the  great  work  still  before  him.  His  escapes 
had  been  wonderful,  and  he  might  take  them  as  good  omens 
for  the  future. 

It  seemed  as  if  fate  delighted  to  place  him  in  positions 
of  danger,  from  which  there  appeared  to  be  no  escape,  in 
order  to  show  her  power  to  save  him,  under  any  and 
all   circumstances.      Even   now,  when   contemplating  so 

441 


442  FKANK  POCOKE's  EEPOET. 

satisfactorily  his  success,  he  was  startled  by  the  narrowness 
of  his  escape  from  a  danger  of  which  he  had  never  before 
dreamed.  That  trouble,  disorder  and  desertion  might  be- 
fall his  camp  during  his  absence  he  had  often  feared,  but 
now  he  was  told  by  the  men  he  had  left  in  charge  of  it 
that  in  a  few  hours  more  the  expedition  would  have  broken 
up  and  disappeared  forever. 

.  This  was  Frank  Pocoke's  report.  He  said  that  a  rumor 
had  reached  camp  that  Stanley  and  his  crew  had  been 
"taken  prisoners  soon  after  leaving,  and  he  at  once  sent  off 
fifty  soldiers  to  effect  his  release,  who  found  the  rejDort 
false.  They  had  also  heard  of  his  fight  with  the  Wamma, 
and  that  he  was  killed.  In  the  meantime  a  conspiracy 
had  been  formed  by  three  neighboring  tribes  to  capture 
the  camp  and  seize  all  the  goods.  It  was  discovered,  and 
everything  put  in  the  best  state  possible  to  defeat  it,  when 
the  whole  fell  through  on  account  of  the  sudden  death  of 
one  of  the  conspirators  and  the  disaffection  of  another. 

With  the  report  uncontradicted  of  Stanley's  death,  nay, 
corroborated  by  his  long  absence,  and  in  view  of  the  dan- 
gers surrounding  them,  the  soldiers  and  men  held  a  meet- 
ing to  determine  what  course  they  should  take.  He  had 
then  been  gone  nearly  a  month  and  a  half,  and  it  should 
not  have  taken  more  than  half  that  time  to  have  circum- 
navigated the  lake  with  a  boat,  that  in  a  fair  breeze  could 
go  five  or  six  miles  an  hour. 

Something  must  have  happened  to  him,  that  was  certain, 
and  it  mattered  little  whether  it  was  death  or  captivity.  It 
was  finally  decided  to  wait  fifteen  days  longer,  or  till  the 
new  moon,  when,  if  he  did  not  appear,  they  would  strike 
camp  and  march  back  to  Unyanyembe.  The  fifteen  days 
would  have  expired  the  next  day  after  Stanley's  arrival. 
If,  therefore,  he  had  been  delayed  forty-eight  hours  longer, 
instead  of  being  received  with  the  waving  of  flags,  shouts 


DEATH   OF    BARKER.  443 

and  volleys  of  musketry,  and  wild  demonstrations  of 
delight,  there  would  have  been  no  welcome,  but  a  silent, 
deserted  camp.  This  would  have  been  a  terrible  blow,  and 
dashed  all  the  joy  he  felt  at  his  task,  successfully  accom- 
plished, with  the  bitterest  disappointment.  But  he  had 
been  saved  all  this ;  still  one  calamity  had  befallen  him 
for  Avhich  there  was  no  remedy — ^young  Barker  had  died 
only  a  few  days  before  his  arrival,  and  six  of  his  strong 
men  had  fallen  victims  to  dysentery  and  fever.  Thus 
while  in  all  the  danger  through  which  he  had  passed  on 
the  lake,  he  had  not  lost  a  man,  seven  had  died  while  lying 
idly  in  a  healthy  camp.  The  death  of  Barker  he  felt 
keenly,  for  of  the  three  white  men  who  had  started  with 
him,  two  had  already  fallen,  and  now  only  one  was  left. 

In  writing  to  his  mother,  announcing  his  death,  and  ex- 
pressing his  sympathy  with  her  in  her  affliction,  he  thus 
speaks  of  the  manner  in  which  it  occurred:  "I  was 
absent  on  an  exploring  expedition  on  Lake  Victoria,  having 
left  Francis  Pocoke  and  Frederick  Barker  in  charge  of  my 
camp.  Altogether  I  was  absent  fifty-eight  days.  When 
I  returned,  hoping  that  I  would  find  that  all  had  gone 
well,  I  was  struck  with  the  grievous  news  that  your  son 
had  died  twelve  days  before,  of  an  intermittent  fever. 
What  little  I  have  been  able  to  learn  of  your  son's  death 
amounts  to  this :  On  April  22d,  he  went  out  on  the  lake  with 
Pocoke  to  shoot  hippopotami,  and  all  day  enjoyed  himself. 
On  the  morning  of  the  23d  he  went  out  for  a  little  walk, 
had  his  tea  and  some  pancakes,  washed  himself  and  then  sud- 
denly said  he  felt  ill,  and  lay  down  in  bed.  He  called  for 
a  hot  stone  to  be  put  to  his  feet ;  brandy  was  given  him, 
blankets  were  heaped  on  him,  but  he  felt  such  cold  in  his 
extremities  that  nothing  availed  to  restore  heat  in  his  body. 
His  blood  seems  to  have  become  congealed.  At  eight 
o'clock,  an  hour  after  he  lay  down,  he  was  dead.     Such  is 


444  REST   AND    EEPOSE. 

what  I  have  been  able  to  glean  from  Pocoke  of  the  manner 
of  his  death.  But  by  our  next  letter-carrier,  Pocoke  shall 
send  you  a  complete  account."  He  then  goes  on  to  speak 
of  his  excellent  qualities  and  promising  future,  and  his  own 
great  loss. 

One  of  the  curious  things  that  struck  Stanley  as  he 
looked  on  his  party,  was  the  strange  contrast  betAveen  Po- 
coke's  face  and  his  own.  The  former  being  most  of  the 
time  in  camp,  had  bleached  to  his  old  English  whiteness, 
while  under  the  reflection  of  the  fierce  rays  of  an  equato- 
rial sun,  he  had  been  burned  till  his  face  was  the  color  of 
a  lobster — in  fact,  the  natives  had  come  to  call  him,  not  the 
pale,  but  the  rec?-faced  man,  to  which  his  blood-shot  eyes 
gave  a  still  more  sanguinary  appearance. 

Now  followed  a  season  of  rest  and  of  sweet  repose ;  and 
how  deep  and  sweet  it  was,  may  be  gathered  from  his  own 
language.  He  says:  "Sweet  is  the  Sabbath  day  to  the 
toil-worn  laborer,  happy  is  the  long  sea-tossed  mariner  on 
his  arrival  in  port,  and  sweet  were  the  days  of  calm  rest 
we  enjoyed  after  our  troublous  exploration  of  the  Nyanza. 
The  brusque  storms,  the  continued  rains,  the  cheerless 
gray  clouds,  the  wild  waves,  the  loneliness  of  the  islands, 
the  inhosj)itality  of  the  natives  that  were  like  mere  phases 
of  a  dream,  were  now  but  the  reminiscences  of  the  memory, 
so  little  did  we  heed  what  was  past  while  enjoying  the 
luxury  of  a  rest  from  our  toils.  Still  it  added  to  our 
pleasure  to  be  able  to  conjure  up  in  the  mind  the  varied 
incidents  of  the  long  lake  journey ;  they  served  to  enliven 
and  employ  the  mind  while  the  body  enjoyed  repose,  like 
condiments  quickening  digestion.  It  was  a  pleasure  to  be 
able  to  map  at  will,  in  the  mind,  so  many  countries  newly 
discovered,  such  a  noble  extent  of  fresh  water  explored  for 
the  first  time.  As  the  memory  flew  over  the  lengthy  track 
of  exploration,  how  fondly  it  dwelt  on  the  many  pictur- 


BRIGHT   ANTICIPATIONS.  446 

esque  bays,  margined  by  water-lilies  and  lotus  plants,  or  by 
the  green  walls  of  the  slender  reed-like  papyrus,  inclosing 
an  area  of  water,  whose  face  was  as  calm  as  a  mirror, 
because  lofty  mountain  ridges  almost  surround  it.  With 
what  kindly  recognition  it  roved  over  the  little  green 
island  in  whose  snug  haven  our  boat  had  lain  securely  at 
anchor,  when  the  rude  tempest  without  churned  the  face 
of  the  Nyanza  into  a  foaming  sheet."  The  lofty  rocks  once 
more  rose  before  him  in  imagination,  while  the  distant 
hills  were  outlined  against  the  fervid  horizon,  and  the 
rich  grain  fields  of  some  of  the  districts  smiled  in  the  sun. 
But  his  memory  dwelt  with  fondest  recollection  on  Uganda 
and  its  hospitable  King  Mtesa,  for  there,  it  not  only 
recalled  the  present,  but  pictured  a  glorious  future,  in 
which  smiling  villages  took  the  places  of  rude  huts, 
from  the  midst  of  which  church  spires  rose,  and  the  clear 
tones  of  the  bell  called  the  dusky  inhabitants  to  the  place 
of  worship.  As  he  thus  lay  dreaming,  close  by  the  equa- 
torial circle,  he  saw  the  land  smiling  in  affluence  and 
plenty ;  its  bays  crowded  with  the  dark  hulls  of  trading 
vessels,  heard  the  sound  of  craftsmen  at  their  work,  the 
roar  of  manufactories  and  foundries  and  the  ever-buzzing 
noise  of  industry. 

With  these  bright  anticipations  of  the  future,  the  happy 
result  of  his  endeavors,  would  mingle  his  desperate  encoun- 
ters with  the  savages,  his  narrow  escapes,  his  nights  of 
danger  on  the  tempestuous  lake,  his  wonderful  success  so 
near  a  failure  at  last,  of  all  these  marvelous  experiences 
?.nd  events  crowded  on  him  as  he  lay  and  rested,  and 
dreamed  on  the  shores  of  the  lake,  that  he  felt  to  be  his 
own.  If  half  that  he  anticipated,  as  he  lay  and  rested 
and  dreamed,  turns  out  true,  his  name  will  be  linked  with 
changes  that  will  sink  all  his  great  discoveries  into  noth- 
ingness— moral  changes  and  achievements  as  much  above 


446  REFUSED   A   PASSAGE. 

mere  material  success  as  mind  is  above  matter — civilization 
above  barbarism — Christianity  above  Paganism. 

This  successful  voyage  and  safe  return  inspired  the 
members  of  the  expedition  with  renewed  confidence  in 
their  leader,  and  Stanley  soon  set  about  prosecuting  the 
great  work  to  which  he  had  devoted  himself,  and  which, 
with  all  its  toils  and  dangers  and  great  sacrifice  of  life, 
had  only  just  begun. 

The  Grand  Admiral  Magassa  had  not  yet  joined  him. 
There  was  no  reason  he  had  not  done  so,  except  that  the 
fight  at  Bumbireh  and  subsequent  storm  on  the  lake  had 
sent  them  wide  apart.  But  he  had  two  of  Stanley's  best 
men  with  him,  who  would  direct  him  to  the  camp  in  Speke 
Bay,  toward  which  he  knew  Stanley  was  working,  and 
where  he  should  have  been  before  this  time.  The  latter 
waited  nine  days  in  camp  for  him,  and  then  concluding 
that  he  did  not  intend  to  come  at  all,  resolved  to  march 
back  overland  with  his  party  (as  he  had  no  canoes  to  carry 
them  by  water)  to  Uganda.  Just  as  they  were  ready  to 
start,  there  came  into  camp  a  negro  embassy  from  Buoma, 
which  lay  between  him  and  Uganda  on  the  land  route, 
with  the  following  message :  "  Buoma  sends  salaams  to  the 
white  man.  He  does  not  want  the  white  man's  cloth,  beads 
or  wire,  but  the  white  man  must  not  pass  through  his 
country.  Buoma  does  not  want  to  see  him  or  any  other 
man  with  long  red  hair  down  to  his  shoulders,  white  face 
and  big  red  eyes.  Buoma  is  not  afraid  of  him,  but  if  the 
white  man  will  come  near  his  country,  Buoma  and  Mi- 
rambo  will  fight  him." 

"Here,  indeed,"  as  Stanley  says,  "was  a  dilemma." 
Mtesa's  admiral  had  proved  false  to  the  instructions  given 
him  by  the  king,  and  no  boats  had  arrived  to  convey  his 
party  to  Uganda  by  water,  and  now  the  ruler  of  the  dis- 
trict through  which  he  must  pass  to  reach  it  by  laud  for- 


CANOES   OBTAINED.  447 

bade  him  to  cross  it.  To  force  a  passage  was  impossible ; 
for  Kuoma,  besides  having  a  hundred  and  fifty  muskets 
and  several  thousand  spearmen  and  bowmen,  had  the 
dreaded  Mirambo,  with  his  fierce  warriors,  within  a  day's 
march  of  him  and  ready  to  aid  him.  Even  if  he  could 
fight  his  way  across  the  country,  it  would  be  at  a  sacrifice 
of  life  that  he  could  not  afibrd,  and  which  the  results  he 
hoped  to  secure  would  not  justify.  Still,  he  could  not  give 
up  Uganda,  with  its  half-civilized  king,  for  it  was  not  only 
the  most  interesting  country  that  bordered  on  the  lake,  but 
it  comprised  the  unknown  region  lying  between  it  and 
Tanganika.  If  he  could  only  get  canoes  from  some  other 
quarter,  he  could  take  his  party  to  Uganda  by  water ;  and 
once  there,  his  friend  Mtesa  would  give  him  all  the  aid  he 
wanted.  He  therefore  set  on  foot  inquiries  respecting  the 
various  tribes  bordering  on  the  gulf  on  which  he  was 
encamj^ed,  to  ascertain  the  number  of  canoes  each  pos- 
sessed. He  found  that  the  king  of  Ukerewe,  the  large 
island  lying  at  the  mouth  of  the  gulf,  was  the  most  likely 
j^erson  to  have  the  canoes  he  wanted,  and  he  applied  to, 
him.  But  he  was  unable  to  negotiate  for  them  in  person, 
as  he  was  taken  suddenly  and  seriously  ill — the  result  of 
his  long  exposure  on  the  lake  under  an  equatorial  sun — so 
sent  Pocoke,  with  Prince  Kaduma,  to  make  proposals  for 
them.  These,  taking  a  handsome  present  for  the  king, 
departed.  In  twelve  days  they  returned  with  fifty  canoes 
and  some  three  hundred  natives  under  the  command  of  the 
king's  brother ;  but  to  convey  him  and  his  party  to  the 
king,  not  to  Uganda. 

Stanley's  joy  at  the  sight  of  the  canoes  was  dampened 
by  this  request,  and  he  told  the  king's  brother  that  if  the 
forme  would  give  him  all  his  land  and  cattle,  he  would 
not  l^t  the  expedition  go  to  Ukerewe,  but  that  he  would  go 
himself,  and  he  himself  might  return  as  soon  as  he  pleased. 


448  AUDIENCE   WITH   THE  KING. 

As  soon  as  he  was  well  enough  he  set  out,  and  on  the 
second  day  reached  the  island.  Knowing  how  much  was 
at  stake,  he  put  on  his  court  costume,  which  meant  the 
hest  clothes  in  his  wardrobe,  and  equipped  himself  with  his 
best  arms,  while  his  attendants  bore  valuable  presents. 

The  next  day  after  his  arrival  was  fixed  for  the  great  audi- 
ence. When  the  hour  arrived  Stanley  mustered  the  crew  of 
the  Lady  Alice,  who  had  been  dressed  for  the  occasion,  and 
the  bugle  sounded  the  order  to  march.  In  ten  minutes  they 
came  to  a  level  stretch  of  ground,  in  the  centre  of  which  was 
a  knoll,  where  the  king  was  seated  in  state,  surrounded  by 
hundreds  of  bowmen  and  spearmen.  He  was  a  young 
man,  with  a  color  tending  more  to  the  mulatto  than  negro 
— possessing  an  amiable  countenance,  and,  altogether,  he 
made  a  favorable  impression  on  Stanley.  He  was  quite  a 
conspicuous  object  sitting  on  that  knoll  in  the  midst  of 
warriors,  for  he  was  wrapped  in  a  robe  of  red  and  yellow 
silk  damask  cloth.  His  reception  of  Stanley  consisted  in 
a  long,  steady  stare,  but,  being  informed  that  the  latter 
;wished  to  state  the  object  of  his  visit  to  him  and  a  few  of 
his  chiefs  alone,  he  stepped  aside  a  short  distance  to  a  pile 
of  stones  and  invited  them  to  join  him.  Stanley  then 
stated  what  he  wanted,  how  far  he  wished  the  canoes  to 
go,  what  he  would  pay  for  them,  etc.,  etc.  The  king 
listened  attentively,  and  replied  in  a  kind  and  affable 
manner ;  but  he  said  his  canoes  were  many  of  them  rotten 
and  unfit  for  a  long  voyage,  and  he  was  afraid  they  would 
give  out,  and  then  he  would  be  blamed  and  accused  of  be- 
ing the  cause  of  the  loss  of  his  property.  Stanley  replied 
that  he  might  blame  the  canoes,  but  not  him.  At  the 
close  of  the  conference  the  king  said  he  should  have  as 
many  canoes  as  he  wanted,  but  he  must  remain  a  few  days 
and  partake  of  his  hospitality.  This  was  given  in  no 
stinted  measure,  for  beeves,  and  goats,  and  chickens,  and 


'  A   NATIVE  STRATAGEM.  449 

milk,  and  eggs,  and  bananas,  and  plantains  were  furnished 
in  prodigal  quantities,  together  with  native  beer  for  the 
crew.  They  luxuriated  in  abundance,  and  on  the  fifteenth 
day  the  king  came  to  Stanley's  tent  with  his  chief  coun- 
selor, and  gave  him  his  secret  instructions  and  advice. 
He  said  he  had  ordered  fifty  canoes  to  carry  him  as  far  as 
Usukuma,  Stanley's  camp,  but  his  people  would  not  be 
willing  to  go  to  Uganda.  He,  therefore,  had  resorted  to 
stratagem,  and  caused  it  to  be  reported  that  Stanley  was 
going  to  come  and  live  among  them.  He  said  that  the 
latter  must  encourage  this  report,  and  when  he  got  to 
Usukuma,  and  the  canoes  were  drawn  up  on  shore,  he  must 
seize  them  and  secure  the  paddles.  Having  thus  rendered 
it  impossible  for  them  to  return,  he  was  to  inform  them 
what  he  intended  to  do. 

Stanley  having  promised  to  obey  his  instructions  im- 
plicitly, the  king  sent  with  him  his  prime  minister  and  two 
favorites,  and  he  departed,  after  leaving  behind  him  a  hand- 
some present  as  an  earnest  of  what  he  would  do  in  the  future. 
The  natives  bent  to  their  paddles  cheerfully,  and  at  length 
reached  Stanley's  camp ;  but,  instead  of  fifty  he  found  there 
were  but  twenty-three  canoes.  Though  disappointed,  he 
was  compelled  to  be  content  with  these. 

He  accordingly  whispered  his  orders  to  the  captains  of 
his  expedition  to  muster  their  men  and  seize  the  canoes 
and  paddles.  This  was  done  and  the  canoes  were  drawn 
up  far  on  land.  The  astonished  natives  inquired  the  mean- 
ing of  this,  and  when  told,  flew  into  a  furious  passion, 
and  being  about  equal  in  number  to  Stanley's  party, 
showed  fight.  The  latter  saw  at  a  glance  that  any  attempt 
to  mollify  them  by  talk  would  be  fruitless,  and  that  energetic, 
prompt  measures  alone  would  answer,  and  he  immediately 
ordered  the  bugle  to  sound  the  rally.  The  soldiers  stepped 
quickly  into  line,  when  he  ordered  a  charge  with  the 


450  A   PLAN   TO    SEIZE   HIM. 

muzzles  of  their  guns,  and  the  astonished,  duped  creatures 
were  driven  out  of  camp  and  away  from  the  shore. 
Stanley  then  held  a  parley  with  them  and  proposed  to 
send  them  back,  and  did,  or  at  least  a  portion  of  them,  in 
four  canoes,  who  could  return  and  take  off  the  rest,  but 
the  canoes  he  kept,  and  on  the  third  day  started  for 
Uganda  with  a  portion  of  the  expedition,  and  at  the  end  of 
five  days  arrived  at  Kefuge  Island.  Kemembering  when 
he  was  there  before,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  main-land, 
which  was  not  more  than  six  miles  off,  were  not  kindly 
disposed  toward  him,  he  built  a  strong  camp  among  the 
rocks,  locating  it  so  that  each  high  rock  could  furnish  a 
position  for  sharp-shooters,  and  in  every  way  he  could  ren- 
dered it  impregnable,  in  case  it  should  be  attacked  during  his 
absence.  As  he  had  not  been  able  to  embark  all  his  ex- 
pedition and  baggage,  he  now  returned  for  them,  reaching 
his  old  camp  again  after  an  absence  of  fifteen  days.  He 
learned  on  his  arrival  that  two  neighboring  chiefs  were 
planning  to  seize  him  and  make  him  pay  a  heavy  ransom. 
He,  however,  said  nothing ;  spoke  pleasantly  every  day  to 
one  of  them — Prince  Kaduma,  and  made  presents  to  his 
pretty  wife,  and  went  on  loading  his  canoes.  AVhen  the 
day  of  embarkation  arrived,  the  two  chiefe,  with  a  strong 
force  came  to  the  water's  edge  and  looked  on  moodily.  Stanley 
appeared  not  to  notice  it,  but  laughed  and  talked  pleasantly, 
and  proceeding  leisurely  to  the  Lady  Alice,  ordered  the 
boat's  crew  to  shove  her  off.  When  a  short  distance  was 
reached,  he  halted,  and  swinging  broadside  on  shore, 
showed  a  row  of  deadly  guns  in  point-blank  range  of  the 
shore.  Taken  completely  aback  by  this  sudden  movement, 
and  not  daring  to  make  a  hostile  demonstration  with  those 
guns  covering  them,  the  treacherous  chiefs  let  the  process 
of  embarkation  go  on  without  molestation,  and  soon  the 
last  canoe  was  afloat  and  a  final   good-bye  given  to  the 


SAFE   AT   EEFUGE   ISLAND.  451 

camp,  a  scornful  farewell  waved  to  the  disappointed  natives 
on  shore,  and  the  little  fleet  steered  for  Kefuge  Island. 
Rough  weather  followed,  and  the  rotten  canoes  gave  out 
one  after  another,  so  that  he  had  only  fifteen  when  he 
reached  the  island.  He  found  the  camp  had  not  been 
disturbed  in  his  absence.  On  the  contrary,  the  neighbor- 
ing kings  and  chiefs,  seeing  that  his  camp  was  impregnable, 
had  proffered  their  friendship  and  supplied  the  soldiers 
with  provisions.  They  also  provided  him  with  a  guide 
and  sold  him  three  canoes. 


\/ 


CHAPTEK  XXIX. 

A.  REST— RESOLVES  TO  PUNISH  THE  BUMBIEEH— SETS  SAIL— MESSAGE  TO  THE  PEOPLE  OF  BUMBIREH 
—IMPRISONS  THE  KINO  OP  IROBA— THE  KINO  OF  BUMBIEEH  IN  CHAINS— ARRIVAL  OF  MTF^A'S 
CANOES— HOSTILITY  OF  THE  NATIVES— MOVES  ON  BUMBIREH— THE  SAVAGES  EXPECTING  HIM — 
PLAN  OF  BATTLE— THE  BATTLE— KILLED  AND  WOUNDED— REJOICING  OVER  THE  VICTORY— THE 
NATIVES  COMPLETELY  SUBDUED— STANLEY  GIVES  TIIEM  A  LECTURE— EFFECT  OP  THE  VICTORY 
ON  THE  NEIGHBORING  TRIBES— HIS  LOSSES — PREPARES  TO  START  FOR  THE  ALBERT  NYANZA — 
SIZE  OF  THE  VICTORIA  NZANZA— MUTA  NZIENGE— IS  IT  AND  THE  ALBERT  ONE  LAKE— STANLEY'S 
JOURNAL  AND  MAP  DO  NOT  AGREE— MTESA  AT  WAR— STANLEY  AIDS  HIM— UGANDA— ABBA  REGA 
ONCE  MORE— baker's  AND  STANLEY'S  JOURNAL  AGREE— STANLEY  ASKS  EOR  FIFTY  THOUSAND 
MEN— MTESA  GIVES  HIM  TWO  THOUSAJID. 

STANLEY  now  rested  a  few  days  on  this  island  before 
beginning  liis  explorations.  It  was  associated  in  his" 
mind  with  bitter  memories,  and  as  he  wandered  over  it,  he 
remembered  the  insults  he  had  received,  and  his  almost 
miraculous  escape  from  death  near  it.  The  treacherous 
Bumbireh  was  almost  in  sight,  and  it  awakened  in  him  a 
strong  desire  for  revenge,  and  he  determined  to  visit  the 
island  again,  and  demand  reparation  for  the  wrongs  he  had 
received,  and  if  it  was  not  given,  to  make  war  on  them, 
and  teach  them  a  lesson  on  good  behavior.  So  at  the  end 
of  three  days  he  set  sail  and  camped  on  Mahyiga  Island, 
five  miles  distant,  and  sent  a  message  to  the  natives  saying, 
that  if  they  would  deliver  their  king  and  two  principal 
chiefs  into  his  hands,  he  would  make  peace  with  them, 
otherwise  he  would  make  war.  This  was  a  cool  request, 
and  Stanley  himself,  suspecting  it  would  be  refused,  sent  a 
party  to  invite  the  king  of  Iroba,  an  island  only  a  mile 
from  Bumbireh,  to  visit  him,  who,  dreading  the  vengeance 
of  the  white  man,  came,  bringing  with  him  three  chiefs. 
On  what  principle  of  morals  Stanley  will  justify  his  course 

452 


THE   KOYAL  CAPTIVE  IN   CHAINS.  453 

we  cannot  say,  but  the  moment  the  king  arrived,  he  had 
him  and  his  chiefs  put  in  chains ;  the  conditions  of  their 
release  being  that  his  people  should  deliver  the  king  of 
Bumbireh,  and  two  of  his  principal  chiefs  into  his  hands. 
Although  the  people  of  Bumbireh  had  treated  his  mes- 
sage with  contempt,  the  subjects  of  Iroba  seized  their  king 
and  delivered  him  into  the  hands  of  Stanley.    The  peril  of 
their  own  king  had  stimulated  them  to  effort,  and  Stanley 
at  once  released  him,  while  he  loaded  his  new  royal  captive 
heavily  with   chains.     He  also  sent  a  message  to  king 
Antari,  on  the  main-land,  to  whom  Bumbireh  was  tribu- 
tary, requesting  him  to  redeem  his  land  from  war.     In 
reply,  the  latter  sent  his  son  and  two  chiefs  to  him  to  make 
peace,  who  brought  a  quantity  of  bananas,  as  a  promise  of 
what  the  king  w^ould  do  in  the  future.    Stanley  in  con- 
versing with  them  detected  them  in  so  many  falsehoods, 
and  thinking  he  saw  treachery  in  their  faces,  or  perhaps  it 
would  be  more  in  accordance  with  truth  to  say,  that  having 
got  them  in  his  power,  he  thought  it  better  to  keep  them 
as  hostages  for  the  appearance  of  the  two  chiefs  of  Bum- 
bireh, who  had  not  been  brought  with  the  king,  and  did 
so.    In  the  meantime,  seven  large  canoes  of  Mtesa  came 
up,  which  were  out  on  an  expedition  of  the  king's.     The 
chief  commanding  them  told  him  that  Magassa  had  re- 
covered the  oars  captured  at  Bumbireh,  and  that  on  his 
return  and  reporting  Stanley  dead,  had  been  put  in  chains 
by  Mtesa,  but  subsequently  released  and  dispatched  in 
search  of  him.     The  latter  persuaded  this  chief,  with  his 
canoes  to  remain,  and  assist  him  in  his  attack  on  Bumbireh 
if  they  refused  his  terms  of  peace. 

Two  days  after,  this  chief  sent  some  of  his  men  to  Bum- 
bireh for  food,  but  they  were  not  allowed  to  land.  On  the 
contrary,  they  were  attacked,  and  one  man  killed  and  eight 
wounded.     This  gave  Stanley  another  -  strong  reason  for 


454  DRAWING  OUT  THE  ENEMY. 

making  war  at  once  without  further  negotiations,  to  which 
Mtesa's  chief  gladly  consented.     Accordingly,  next  morn- 
ing, he  mustered  two  hundred  and  eighty  men  with  fifty 
muskets,  and  two  hundred  spearmen,  and  placed  them  in 
eighteen  canoes  and  set  out  for  Bumbireh,  eight  miles  dis- 
tant, and  reached  the  island  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
The  natives  of    Bumbireh  were  evidently  expecting 
trouble,  for  they  felt  sure  the  attack  on  the  friends  of 
Stanley  the  day  before  would  be  quickly  avenged.     As 
the  latter,  therefore,  drew  near  the  shore,  he  saw  lookouts 
on  every  eminence.     Looking  through  his  field-glass,  he 
soon  discovered  messengers  running  to  a  plantain  grove 
which  stood  on  a  low  hill  that  commanded  a  clear,  open 
view  of  a  little  port  on  the  southern  point  of  the  island, 
from  which  he  concluded  that  the  main  force  of  the  enemy 
was  assembled  there.     He  then  called  the  canoes  together, 
and  told  them  to  follow  him  and  steer  just  as  he  steered, 
and  by  no  means  to  attempt  to  land,  as  he  did  not  mean 
that  one  of  Mtesa's  men  should  be  killed,  or,  indeed,  any 
of  his  own  soldiers — ^he   intended   to  punish  Bumbireh 
without  any  damage  to  himself.     He  then  ordered  the 
crew  to  row  straight  for  the  port — the  canoes  following  in 
close  order  behind.     He  managed  to  keep  out  of  sight 
of  the  lookouts ;  and  skirting  close  to  the  land,  at  the  end 
of  a  little  more  than  a  mile,  rounded  a  cape  and  shot  into 
a  fine  bay,  and  right  in  rear  and  in  full  view  of  the  enemy. 
They  were  gathered  in  such  "large  numbers  that  Stanley 
saw  it  would  not  do  to  attack  them  in  such  a  cover,  and  so 
steered  for  the  opposite  side  of  the  bay,  as  though  he 
intended  to  land  there,  where  the  sloping  hill-sides  were 
bare  of  everything  but  low  grass.     The  savages,  perceiving 
this,  broke  cover  and  ran  yelling  toward  the  threatened 
point.     This  was  exactly  what  Stanley  wanted,  and  he 
ordered  the  rowers  to  pull  slowly,  so  as  to  give  them  time 


DEADLY   WORK.  455 

to  reach  the  spot  toward  which  he  was  moving.  Very 
soon  they  were  all  assembled  on  the  naked  hill-side,  bran- 
dishing their  weapons  fiercely  in  the  air.  Stanley  kept 
slowly  on  till  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  beach,  when 
he  anchored  broadside  on  the  shore — the  English  and 
American  flags  waving  above  him.  The  other  seventeen 
canoes  followed  his  example.  Seeing  a  group  of  about 
fifty  standing  close  together,  he  ordered  a  volley  to  be  fired 
into  it.  Fifty  muskets  and  his  own  trusty  rifle  spoke  at 
once,  and  with  such  terrible  effect  that  nearly  the  whole 
number  was  killed  or  wounded.  The  natives,  astounded 
at  this  murderous  work,  now  separated  and  came  down  to 
the  water's  edge  singly,  and  began  to  yell  and  sling  stones 
and  shoot  arrows.  Stanley  then  ordered  the  anchors  up, 
and  gave  directions  to  move  the  canoes  to  within  fifty  yards 
of  the  shore,  and  each  soldier  to  select  his  man  and  fire  as 
though  he  were  shooting  birds.  The  savages  dropped 
right  and  left  before  this  target  practice,  but  the  survivors 
stood  their  ground  firmly,  for  they  knew  if  Stanley  effected 
a  landing  he  would  burn  everything  on  the  island.  For 
an  hour  they  endured  the  deadly  fire,  and  then,  unable 
longer  to  stand  it,  moved  up  the  hill,  but  still  not  out  of 
range,  especially  of  Stanley's  unerring  rifle.  Though 
every  now  and  then  a  man  would  drop,  they  refused  to 
move  farther  away,  for  they  knew  that  if  they  were  not 
near  enough  to  make  a  dash  the  moment  the  boats  touched 
the  shore,  all  would  be  lost.  Another  hour  was  therefore 
passed  in  this  long-range  firing,  when  Stanley  ordered  the 
canoes  to  advance  all  together,  as  if  about  to  make  a  sudden 
landing.  The  savages,  seeing  this,  rushed  down  the  liill- 
side  like  a  torrent,  and  massed  themselves  by  the  hundreds 
at  the  point  toward  which  the  canoes  were  moving,  some 
even  entering  the  water  with  their  spears  poised  ready  to 
strike.     When  they  were  packed  densely  together,  Stanley 


456  A   GREAT   VICTORY. 

ordered  the  bugle  to  sound  a  halt,  and,  as  the  crews  rested 
on  their  oars,  directed  a  volley  to  be  fired  into  them,  which 
mowed  them  down  so  terribly  that  they  turned  and  fled 
like  deer  over  the  hill.  Stanley's  men  had  now  got  their 
blood  up,  and  urged  him  to  let  them  land  and  make  a 
complete  end  of  this  treacherous  people,  but  he  refused, 
saying  that  he  came  to  punish,  not  destroy. 

They  had  fired  in  all  about  seven  hundred  cartridges, 
and  as  the  savages  were  completely  exposed,  and  in  the 
afternoon,  with  the  sun  directly  behind  the  boats,  and 
shining  full  in  their  faces,  the  mortality  was  great.  Over 
forty  were  left  dead  on  the  field,  while  the  number  of 
the  wounded  could  not  be  counted,  though  more  than  a 
hundred  were  seen  to  limp  or  to  be  led  away.  It  was  a 
great  victory,  and  Stanley's  dusky  allies  were  in  a  state  of 
high  excitement,  and  made  the  air  ring  with  their  shouts 
and  laughter,  as  they  bent  to  their  paddles.  It  was  dark 
when  they  got  back  to  the  island,  where  they  were  received 
with  wild  songs  of  triumph.  Stanley  w^as  a  great  hero  to 
these  untutored  children  of  nature.  The  next  morning  more 
canoes  arrived  from  Uganda,  and  Stanley  prepared  to  de- 
part. He  had  now  thirty-two  canoes,  all  well  loaded  with 
men,  which  made  quite  an  imposing  little  fleet  as  they 
moved  into  order  on  the  lake,  and  constituted  a  strong 
force.  They  sailed  close  to  Bumbireh,  and  Stanley  looked 
to  see  what  had  been  the  effect  of  the  severe  thrashing  he 
had  given  them  the  day  before.  He  found  their  audacity 
gone,  and  their  proud,  insulting  spirit  completely  quelled. 
There  were  no  shouts  of  defiance,  no  hostile  demonstra- 
tions. Seeing  a  hundred  or  more  gathered  in  a  group,  he 
fired  a  bullet  over  their  heads,  which  scattered  them  in  every 
direction.  The  day  before  they  had  breasted  bravely 
volley  after  volley,  but  now  the  war  spirit  was  thoroughly 
cowed.     In  another  place  some  natives  came  down  to  the 


LIBERALLY   TREATED.  457 

sliore  and  begged  them  to  go  away  and  not  hurt  them  any 
more.  This  gave  Stanley  an  opportunity  to  preach  them 
a  sermon  on  treachery,  and  exhort  them  hereafter  to  treat 
strangers,  who  came  to  them  peaceably,  with  kindness. 
The  dead,  in  almost  every  hut,  was,  however,  the  most 
effectual  sermon  of  the  two. 

They  camped  that  evening  on  the  main-land,  in  the 
territory  of  King  Kattawa,  who  treated  them  in  a  mag- 
nificent style  for  a  savage,  to  show  his  gratitude  for  the 
punishment  they  had  inflicted  on  Bumbireh,  who  had  a 
short  time  before  killed  one  of  his  chiefs.  They  stayed 
here  a  day,  and  then  steered  for  the  island  of  Muzina, 
where  he  had  last  seen  Magassa  and  his  fleet.  The  people 
were  not  friendly  to  him,  but  they  had  heard  of  the  terrible 
punishment  he  had  inflicted  on  the  Bumbireh,  and  hastened 
to  supply  him  with  provisions.  They  brought  him  five 
cattle,  four  goats  and  a  hundred  bunches  of  bananas, 
besides  honey,  milk  and  eggs.  The  King  of  Ugoro,  near 
by,  also  sent  him  word  that  he  had  given  his  people  orders 
to  supply  him  with  whatever  food  he  wanted.  Stanley 
replied  that  he  wanted  no  food,  but  if  he  would  lend  him 
ten  canoes  to  carry  his  people  to  Uganda,  he  would  con- 
sider him  as  his  friend.  They  were  promptly  furnished. 
Mtesa's  chief  urged  him  to  attack  the  king,  as  he  had 
murdered  many  of  Mtesa's  people,  but  Stanley  refused, 
saying  he  did  not  come  to  make  war  on  black  people,  he 
only  wished  to  defend  his  rights  and  avenge  acts  of  treach- 
ery. Five  days  after  he  landed  at  Duomo  Uganda,  half 
way  between  the  Kagera  and  Katonga  Rivers,  and  pitched 
his  camp.  He  selected  this  spot  as  the  best  place  from  whicli 
to  start  for  the  Albert  Nyanza,  which  he  designed  next  to 
explore.  He  wanted  to  see  Mtesa,  and  get  his  advice  as 
to  which  was  the  best  route  to  take,  because  between  these 
two  lakes  were  several  powerful  tribes,  who  were  continually 
at  war  with  the  king  of  Uganda. 


458  FOEMmG  NEW   PLANS. 

In  summing  up  his  losses  during  this  journey  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  miles  by  water,  he  found  he  had  lost 
six  men  drowned,  five  guns  and  one  case  of  ammunition, 
besides  ten  canoes  wrecked  and  three  riding  asses  dead, 
leaving  him  but  one.  He  had  been  gone  fifty-six  days, 
and  though  the  distance  was  but  two  hundred  and  twenty 
miles,  a  large  portion  of  it  had  been  traversed  three  times, 
so  that  he  had  really  traveled  by  water  over  seven  hundred 
and  twenty  miles.  He  had  brought  scarcely  any  provisions 
— the  expedition  subsisting  on  the  corn  he  bought  at  the 
start  with  one  bale  of  cloth — except  such  as  were  given 
them.  He  now  resolved,  after  he  had  settled  his  camp,  to 
visit  Mtesa  again,  and  consult  with  him  about  the  aid  he 
could  give  him  to  reach  the  Albert  Nyanza,  This  lake 
was  the  source  of  the  AVhite  Nile,  up  which  Baker  was 
forcing  his  way,  the  very  year  Stanley  started  on  his  ex- 
pedition. He  hoped  to  launch  steamers  upon  it,  but  he  failed 
even  to  reach  it,  though  he  saw  its  waters,  twenty  miles 
distant.  Between  it  and  the  Victoria  Nyanza  is  an  un- 
known region.  The  distance  from  one  to  the  other  in  a 
straight  line  is  probably  not  two  hundred  miles,  though  by 
any  traveled  route  it  is,  of  course,  much  farther.  Nothing 
is  definitely  known  of  its  size  or  shape.  Colonel  Mason 
made  a  partial  exploration  of  it  last  year,  but  it  still 
remains  a  new  field  for  some  future  explorer,  for  Stanley 
failed  to  reach  it  if  the  map  of  the  former  is  correct. 
The  Victoria  Nyanza  he  computed  to  contain  twenty-one 
thousand  five  hundred  square  miles,  and  to  be  nine  thousand 
one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  feet  above  the  sea  level. 
There  is  a  large  lake  almost  directly  west  of  the  Nyanza 
called  Muta  Nzienge,  which  Stanley  conjectures  may  be  con- 
nected with  the  Albert  Nyanza.  The  region  around  the 
latter  is  wholly  unknown,  except  that  fierce  cannibals 
occupy  its  western  shore.     We  say  that  Stanley  did  not 


MTESA  AT   WAR.  459 

reach  the  Albert  Nyanza  at  all,  though  if  it  and  the  Muta 
Nzienge  are  one  he  did.  He  inserts  in  his  journal  that  he 
reached  the  shore  of  the  lake,  yet  by  his  map  he  did  not. 
This  discrepancy,  owing  probably  to  the  fact  that  he 
thought,  at  the  time,  the  lake  he  saw  was  the  Albert  Nyanza, 
and  though  Colonel  Mason  explored  it  partially  last  year, 
and  makes  it  an  entirely  distinct  lake,  he  may  think  so 
still.  At  all  events,  his  map  and  journal  should  agree, 
but  they  do  not,  which  confuses  things  badly.  His  route, 
as  he  has  marked  it  down,  does  not  go  near  it.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  the  Albert  and  the  Muta  Nzienge  are  one, 
it  rivals  in  length  that  of  the  great  Tanganika,  but  we 
believe  no  one  thinks  it  to  be. 

Stanley  found  Mtesa  at  war  with  the  Wavuma,  who 
refused  to  pay  their  annual  tribute.  According  to  his 
account  this  monarch  had  an  army  with  him  which,  with 
its  camp  followers,  amounted  to  a  quarter  of  a  million  of 
souls.  He  remained  with  him  several  weeks  as  the  war 
dragged  slowly  along,  and,  in  the  meantime,  translated, 
with  the  help  of  a  young,  educated  Arab,  a  part  of  the 
Bible  for  him,  and  apparently  sent  him  forward  a  great  way 
toward  Christianity.  He  at  length,  after  he  had  witnessed 
various  naval  battles  that  did  not  seem  to  bring  the  war 
any  nearer  to  a  termination,  built  for  the  king  a  huge 
naval  structure,  wholly  inclosed,  which,  when  it  moved 
against  the  brave  islanders,  filled  them  with  consternation, 
and  they  made  peace. 

At  this  point,  Stanley  makes  a  break  in  his  journal  and 
devotes  nearly  a  hundred  pages  to  Uganda  and  its  king, 
Mtesa,  He  gives  its  traditions,  mingled,  doubtless,  with 
much  fable ;  a  description  of  its  land  fruits,  customs  of  the 
people — in  short,  a  thorough  history,  as  far  as  the  natives 
know  anything  about  it  This  possesses  more  or  less  inte- 
rest, though  the  information  it  conveys  is  of  very  little 


460  A.  MODERATE   REQUEST. 

consequence,  while  it  is  destitute  of  any  incident  connected 
with  his  journey. 

It  was  now  October,  and  he  turned  his  attention  directly 
to  the  next  scene  of  his  labors — the  exploration  of  the 
Albert  Nyanza.  The  great  difficulty  here  was  to  get 
through  the  warlike  tribes  that  lay  between  the  lakes  and 
around  the  latter,  of  which  Abba  Rega  was  one  of  the 
most  hostile  chiefs.  This  king,  it  will  be  remembered, 
was  the  great  foe  of  Baker,  whom  the  latter  drove  out  of 
the  country,  after  burning  his  capital,  and  put  Rionga  in 
his  place.  He  said  then  that  this  treacherous  king  had 
gone  to  the  shores  of  the  Albert  Nyanza.  By  the  way. 
Baker's  statement  and  Stanley's  journal,  placed  together, 
seem  to  make  it  certain  that  the  Muta  Nzienge,  which  the 
latter  reached,  and  the  Albert  Nyanza  are  the  same ;  for, 
in  the  first  place,  it  will  be  remembered.  Baker's  last  jour- 
ney was  to  Unyoro,  where  he  saw  the  Albert  Nyanza. 
Now  Stanley,  it  will  be  seen  hereafter,  traverses  this  same 
district  to  reach  the  lake  he  called  Muta  Nzienge.  Again, 
Baker  says  that  Abba  Rega  fled  to  the  Albert  Nyanza,  and 
yet  Stanley  found  him  on  Lake  Muta  Nzienge.  If  Stan- 
ley's attention  had  been  called  to  this,  we  hardly  think  he 
would  have  made  two  lakes  on  his  map,  when,  from  these 
corroborating  statements,  there  could  have  been  but  one. 
The  fact  that  these  separate  statements,  made  two  years 
apart,  are  purely  incidental,  makes  the  fact  they  go  to 
prove  the  more  certain  to  be  true.  We  have  not  seen 
Colonel  Mason's  recent  voyage  on  the  lake,  but  it  seems 
impossible  that  Baker  and  Stanley  should  reach  through 
the  same  tribe  two  large  and  entirely  separate  lakes. 

Aware  not  only  of  the  hostility,  but  power  of  some  of  the 
tribes  between  Uganda  and  Lake  Albert,  Stanley  asked 
Mtesa  for  fifty  or  sixty  thousand  men — a  mighty  army. 
With  such  a  force  he  thought  he  could  not  only  overcome 


TWO   THOUSAND   SOLDIEES.  461 

all  opposition  on  the  way,  but  hold  the  camp  he  wished  to 
establish,  while  he  spent  two  months  in  exploring  the  lake. 
But  Mtesa  told  him  two  thousand  would  be  ample,  which 
he  would  cheerfully  furnish.  He  said  that  he  need  not 
fear  Abba  Kega,  for  he  would  not  dare  to  lift  a  spear 
against  his  troops,  for  he  had  seated  him  on  the  throne 
of  Kameazi.  Though  Stanley  was  not  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  Mtesa's  statements,  he  would  not  urge  him  further 
and  accepted  the  two  thousand  soldiej^,  commanded  by 
General  Lamboori,  as  an  escort,  with  many  expressions 
of  thanks. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

THE   EXPEDITION    TO   ALBERT   NYANZA. 

FORCE  OP  THE  EXPEDITION— ITS  START— FIRST  MARCH— THROUGH  HOSTILE  TJNYORO— THE  EN- 
CAMPMENT—MOUNT GAMBAKAGARA— ITS  SUMJIIT  OCCUPIED  BY  WHITE  PEOPLE— LIVE  ON  A 
BOCK  IN  THE  MIDDLE  OF  A  LAKE— THEIR  ORIGIN — OTHER  STRANGE  TRIBES— THE  MARCH- 
FRIGHTENED  PEOPLE— THE  LAKE  REACHED  -WITHOUT  OPPOSITION— A  MISERABLE  FAILURE- 
THE  REASON  OP  IT— STANLEY'S  FEELINGS— THE  RETURN- REPORT  TO  MTESA— HIS  WRATH- 
LIBERAL  OFFERS— WONDERS  OF  THE  COUNTRY— A  GENEROUS,  PEACEFUL  KING— LAKE  WINDO- 
MERE— SOURCE  OF  THE  NILE— ABSURD  THEORIES— THE  HOT  SPRINGS  OF  MTAGATA. 

STANLEY'S  expedition  consisted  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty  men,  which,  with  the  troops  Mtesa  gave  him, 
made  a  total  of  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety  men. 
To  this  little  army  were  attached  some  five  hundred  women 
and  children,  making  a  sum  total  of  two  thousand  eight 
hundred.  With  this  force  all  ordinary  opposition  could  be 
overcome,  and  as  it  moved  off  with  the  sound  of  drums 
and  horns,  and  the  waving  of  the  English  and  American 
flags,  conspicuous  amid  those  of  the  negro  army,  it  pre- 
sented a  very  animated  appearance.  But  Stanley  was 
destined  to  find  out  what  others  have  learned  before  him, 
that  a  small  force  under  one's  own  immediate  command  is 
better  than  a  large  undisciplined  one,  that  is  subject  to 
the  orders  of  another. 

General  Lamboozi  had  no  heart  in  this  expedition,  and 
soon  showed  it.  But  they  moved  off  gayly  over  the  swell- 
ing pasture-lands  of  Uganda,  striking  north-west  toward 
the  lake,  which  Stanley  hoped  to  explore,  as  he  had  the 
Victoria  Nyanza.     The  march  through  Uganda  was  a 

462 


A  STRANGE  PEOPLE.  465 

pleasant  one,  and  they  at  length  reached  the  frontier  of 
Unyora  and  prepared  for  war. 

On  the  5th  of  January  they  entered  Abba  Rega's  terri- 
tory, whom,  two  years  before.  Baker  had  driven  from  his 
throne,  and  who  naturally  felt  peculiarly  hostile  to  all 
white  men.  But  no  resistance  was  offered — the  people,  as 
if  remembering  the  past,  fleeing  before  them,  leaving  their 
provisions  and  everything  behind  them,  of  which  the 
army  made  free  use.  Three  days  after  they  came  to  the 
base  of  a  mighty  mountain,  called  Kabrogo,  rising  five 
thousand  five  hundred  feet  into  the  air,  presenting,  in  its 
naked,  rugged  outline,  a  sublime  appearance.  They  en- 
camped that  night  on  a  low  ridge,  in  sight  of  the  Katonga 
E-iver,  flowing  east  in  its  course  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza, 
bringing  up  many  associations  to  Stanley's  mind — ^while  to 
the  west  the  Buanga  filled  the  night  air  with  its  thunder- 
ous sound,  as  it  tumbled  over  cataracts  toward  the  Albert 
Nyanza.  From  an  eminence  near  by  could  be  seen  in  the 
distance  the  colossal  form  of  Gambaragara  Mountain  loom- 
ing up  from  the  wilderness — a  second  Mont  Blanc,  rising 
some  three  miles  into  the  cloudless  heavens.  Though 
under  the  equator,  snow  is  often  seen  on  its  summit.  But 
what  gives  it  peculiar  interest  is,  that  on  its  cold  and  lonely 
top  dwell  a  people  of  an  entirely  distinct  race,  being  white, 
like  Europeans.  The  king  of  Uzigo  once  spoke  to  Stan- 
ley and  Livingstone  of  this  singular  people,  and  now  the 
latter  saw  half  a  dozen  of  them.  Their  hair,  he  says,  is 
"kinky,"  and  inclined  to  brown  in  color;  their  features 
regular ;  lips  thin,  and  noses  well  shaped.  Altogether,  they 
are  a  handsome  race — the  women,  many  of  them  possessing 
great  beauty.  Some  of  their  descendants  are  scattered 
through  the  tribes  living  near  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
but  the  main  body  occupy  its  lofty  summit.  The  queen  of 
one  of  the  islands  in  the  Victoria  Nyanza  is  a  descendent  of 


466  SINGULAR   TEADITIONS. 

them.     The  history  of  this  singular  people  is  wrapped  in 
mystery. 

There  is  a  tra,dition  that  the  first  king  of  Unyoro  gave 
them  the  land  at  its  hase,  and  the  approach  of  a  powerful 
enemy  first  drove  them  to  the  top  for  safety.  They  have 
become  so  acclimated  that  they  can  stand  the  cold,  while 
the  dwellers  of  the  plain  are  compelled  to  flee  before  it. 
Mtesa  once  dispatched  his  greatest  general  with  an  army 
of  a  hundred  thousand  men  to  capture  them.  They  suc- 
ceeded in  making  their  way  to  a  great  height,  but  finally 
had  to  retreat — the  cold  became  so  intense. 

The  retreat  of  this  pale-faced  tribe  is  said  to  be  inacces- 
sible. The  top  is  supposed  to  be  the  crater  of  an  extinct 
volcano ;  for  on  it  there  is  a  lake  nearly  a  third  of  a  mile 
long,  from  the  centre  of  which  rises  a  huge  rock  to  a  great 
height.  Around  the  top  of  this  runs  a  rim  of  rock,  making 
a  natural  wall,  in  which  are  several  villages,  where  the 
principal  "medicine-man"  and  his  people  reside. 

This  account,  if  true,  does  not  touch  the  origin  of  this 
peculiar  race  of  people,  nor  in  any  way  explain  the  fact  of 
their  existence  here  in  tropical  Africa.  Two  men  belong- 
ing to  this  tribe  joined  Stanley's  expedition  in  this  march 
to  the  Albert  Lake,  yet  he  seems  to  have  obtained  no 
information  from  them  of  the  history  of  their  tribe. 
Whether  they  had  any  traditions  or  not  we  are  not  in- 
formed— we  only  know  that  Stanley  found  them  extremely 
uncommunicative.  It  is  possible  they  had  nothing  to  tell, 
for  a  vast  majority  of  the  negro  tribes  of  Africa  have  no 
past ;  they  care  neither  for  the  past  or  future,  so  far  as 
external  life  is  concerned,  living  only  in  the  present. 
These  two  men  occupied  a  high  position,  for  some  cause,  in 
the  army  under  Lamboozi,  and  were  the  only  ones  who 
were  allowed  more  than  two  milch  cows  on  the  route 
Various  stories  about  these  people  were  told  Stanley,  and 


A  LAND   OF   FABLES.  467 

it  is  difficult  to  come  at  the  truth.  About  the  only  thing 
that  seems  established  is  that  this  white  race  exists,  of 
whose  origin  nothing  definite  has  as  yet  been  obtained. 
Stanley  says  that  he  heard  they  were  of  Arab  origin,  but 
there  are  plenty  of  Arabs  in  Africa — in  fact,  all  the 
soldiers  attached  to  the  expedition  were  Arabs,  and  colonies 
of  them  had  long  existed  in  Central  Africa ;  but  they  are 
not  white  men. 

It  seems  impossible  that  Livingstone,  years  before,  should 
have  heard  of  this  singular  people,  and  Stanley  seen  speci-  • 
mens  of  them,  if  no  such  tribe  really  existed.  It  seems 
almost  equally  strange  that  they  should  be  able  for  cen- 
turies to  keep  so  isolated  that  their  very  home  is  a  myth. 
The  truth  is,  that  Africa  is  a  land  of  fables  and  traditions, 
that  partake  of  the.  wonderful  and  often  of  the  miraculous. 
Mr.  Stanley  was  told  of  other  tribes  of  white  people  living 
in  a  remote  unknown  region,  possessing  great  ferocious 
dogs,  and  also  of  dwarfs  of  singular  habits  and  customs. 
These  trachtions  or  reports,  that  are  invariably  vague  in 
their  character,  usually  have  more  or  less  foundation  in 
truth.  Mixed  with  the  wonderful,  that  always  holds  an 
important  place  in  savage  literature,  there  will  generally 
be  found  at  least  a  grain  of  truth ;  and  the  traditions  of 
white  races  among  a  people  who  had  never  seen  white  men, 
could  hardly  exist  if  no  such  tribes  existed. 

The  diet  of  this  strange  race  consists  of  milk  and  bananas. 
Stanley  says  the  first  specimen  he  saw  of  the  tribe  was  a 
young  man,  whom  he  at  first  took  for  a  young  Arab  from 
Cairo,  who  for  some  reason  had  wandered  oflf  to  Uganda, 
and  taken  up  his  residence  with  King  Mtesa.  The  two 
attached  to  his  expedition  would  easily  have  been  mistaken 
for  Greeks  in  white  shirts.  Stanley,  after  seeing  these 
white  Africans,  the  stories  concerning  whose  existence  he 
had  regarded  as  one  of  the  fables  of  the  ignorant,  super- 


468  DESERTED   VILLAGES. 

stitious  natives,  says  that  he  is  ready  to  believe  there  is  a 
medium  of  truth  in  all  the  strange  stories  that  he  has  been 
accustomed  to  listen  to  as  he  would  to  a  fairy  tale.  Four 
years  previous,  while  exploring  the  Tanganika  with  Liv- 
ingstone, they  both  smiled  at  the  story  told  them  of  a 
white  people  living  north  of  Uzigo,  but  now  he  had  seen 
them,  and  if  it  were  not  that  their  hair  resembles  some- 
what that  of  the  negro  he  should  take  them  for  Europeans. 
He  heard  afterwards  that  the  first  king  of  Kisbakka,  a 
•country  to  the  south-west,  was  an  Arab,  whose  scimiter  is 
still  preserved  by  the  natives,  and  infers  that  these  people 
may  be  his  descendants.  He  also  heard  of  a  tribe  that 
wore  armor  and  used  a  breed  of  fierce  and  powerful  dogs 
in  battle. 

From  this  point  the  expedition  moved  on  toward  the 
Albert  Nyanza,  along  the  southern  bank  of  the  Rusango 
River,  a  rapid,  turbulent  stream  winding  in  and  out 
among  the  mountains,  and  rushing  onward  in  fierce,  rapid 
and  headlong  cataracts  to  the  peaceful  bosom  of  the  lake. 
For  ten  hours  they  marched  swiftly  through  an  uninhab- 
ited country  and  then  emerged  into  a  thickly  populated 
district.  Their  sudden  appearance,  with  drums  beating 
and  colors  flying,  filled  the  people,  who  had  no  intimation 
of  their  coming,  with  such  consternation,  that  they  took  to 
the  woods,  leaving  everything  behind  them — even  the 
porridge  on  the  fire  and  great  pots  of  milk  standing  ready 
for  the  evening  meal.  Fields  and  houses  were  alike 
deserted  in  a  twinkling,  and  the  army  marched  in  and 
took  possession.  Thus  far  they  had  met  with  no  opposition 
whatever,  and  the  warlike  tribe  Stanley  had  feared  so 
much  and  had  taken  such  a  large  force  with  him  to  over- 
come, seemed  to  have  no  existence.*  In  fact,  the  days  had 
passed  by  monotonously,  for  the  most  part  the  scenery  was 
tame,  and  the  march  of  the  troops  from  day  to  day  was 


A   MISERABLE  FAILUEE.  469 

without  incident  or  interest,  and  now,  at  this  village,  they 
were  within  a  few  miles  of  the  lake,  to  reach  which  was 
the  sole  object  of  all  this  display  of  force.  Instead  of 
fighting  their  way,  they  found  themselves  in  undisputed 
possession  of  a  large  and  populous  district,  with  not  a  soul 
to  give  them  any  information. 

We  confess  there  is  something  about  this  journey  from  the 
Victoria  Nyanza  to  the  Albert  that  we  do  not  understand. 
By  the  route  on  the  map  it  must  have  been  nearly  two 
hundred  miles,  and  yet  the  expedition  started  on  January 
5th,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  was  within  three  miles 
of  the  latter,  which  would  make  the  marching  about  fifty 
miles  a  day — an  impossibility. 

Now  fifty  miles  a  day  for  four  days  would  be  terri- 
ble marching  for  veteran  troops.  Hence,  we  say,  the 
map  or  journal  is  wrong.  If  he  took  the  route  he  has 
marked  down  and  completed  it  in  the  time  he  says  he  did, 
one  instead  of  two  parallels  of  longitude  should  indicate 
the  distance  between  the  two  lakes.  In  fact,  this  whole 
expedition  was  such  a  miserable  failure,  that  anywhere 
but  in  Africa  it  would  be  looked  upon  as  a  farce,  and 
shows  how  utterly  futile  it  is  to  rely  on  the  native  Africans 
in  any  great  enterprise.  The  Arabs  are  bad  enough,  but 
they  are  fidelity  itself  compared  to  these  black  savages. 

Here  was  an  expedition  numbering  nearly  three  thousand 
souls,  organized  to  secure  a  safe  march  to  a  lake  not  five 
days  distant.  It  met  with  no  obstacles  of  any  moment, 
reached  the  lake,  and  there,  on  the  mere  rumor  that 
hostilities  were  intended,  practically  broke  up  and  returned. 
Stanley  had,  with  about  three  hundred  men,  traversed 
an  unknown  country  for  months,  fought  battles,  and  at  "the 
end  of  a  thousand  miles  reached  the  lake  he  was  after, 
pitched  his  camp,  and  with  a  crew  of  eleven  men  explored 
the  lake  its  entire  circuit,  and  returned  in  safety.     Here, 


470  THE   AEMY    DEMORALIZED. 

with  a  small  army,  after  a  four  days'  march  he  reaches 
the  Albert  Nyanza,  yet  does  nothing  but  turn  round  and 
march  back  again.  It  would  seem,  at  first  sight,  strange 
that  if  he  could  march  a  thousand  miles  from  the  sea  to 
the  Victoria  Nyanza  and  then  explore  it,  he  could  not  now 
with  the  same  men  explore  this  lake  without  the  aid  of 
Lamboozi  and  his  two  thousand  or  more  soldiers.  Doubt- 
less he  could  but  for  this  very  army.  Its  disaffection  and 
declaration  that  they  were  not  strong  enough  to  resist  the 
force  about  to  be  brought  against  them,  created  a  panic 
among:  Stanley's  men.  If  two  thousand  fled  it  would  be 
madness  for  one  hundred  and  eighty  to  stay.  The  simple 
truth  is,  the  more  such  men  one  has  with  him,  unless  he  is 
the  supreme  head  and  his  will  is  law,  even  to  life  and 
death,  the  worse  he  is  off.  Stanley,  planning,  controlling 
and  directing  every  movement  is  a  power ;  Stanley  under 
the  direction  of  a  swaggering,  braggart  African  negro  gen- 
eral is  nobody. 

Lamboozi  did,  next  morning  after  their  approach  to  the 
lake,  send  out  two  hundred  scouts  to  capture  some  natives, 
by  whom  they  could  get  a  message  to  the  king  of  the  dis- 
trict, saying  that  they  had  no  hostQe  intentions,  and  if  per- 
mitted to  encamp  on  the  shores  of  the  lake  for  two  months, 
would  pay  in  beads,  cloth  and  wire  for  whatever  provisions 
they  consumed.  Five  were  captured  and  sent  to  the  king 
with  this  proposition,  but  he  did  not  deign  an  answer.  On 
the  11th,  they  moved  the  camp  to  within  a  mile  of  the  lake, 
on  a  plateau  that  rose  a  thousand  feet  above  its  surface.  A 
place  was  selected  for  a  camp  and  men  sent  out  to  capture 
all  the  canoes  they  could  find.  In  three  hours  they  re- 
turned with  only  five,  and  those  too  small  for  their  purpose. 
But  they  brought  back  word  that  the  whole  country  was 
aroused,  and  that  a  large  body  of  strange  warriors  had 
arrived  on  the  coast  to  aid  the  king  in  making  war  on  the 
new-comers. 


THE   RETURN.  471 

General  Lamboozi  now  became  thoroughly  alarmed,  and 
stubbornly  refused  to  grant  Stanley's  request  to  move  to 
the  edge  of  the  lake  and  intrench.  It  seemed  probable 
that  the  natives  meant  to  give  battle,  but  with  what  num- 
bers or  prospect  of  success,  Lamboozi  took  no  measures  to 
ascertain.  Next  day  he  resolved  to  march  back.  En- 
treaties and  threats  were  alike  in  vain,  and  there  was 
nothing  left  for  Stanley  to  do  but  march  back  with  him. 
He  was  greatly  disappointed  and  thoroughly  disgusted, 
but  there  was  no  help  for  it.  That  Unyoro  and  Abba 
Kega  would  be  hostile,  Stanley  knew  before  he  started, 
and  on  that  account  took  so  large  a  force  with  him.  Yet 
he  says,  after  this  miserable  failure,  that  it  was  a  foolhardy 
attempt  at  the  outset.  Looking  at  it  calmly,  he  pronounces 
it  a  great  folly,  redeemed  from  absurdity  only  by  "the 
success  of  having  penetrated  through  Unyoro  and  reached 
the  Albert."  It  is  difficult  to  see  wherein  lies  the  great- 
ness of  this  success ;  for,  according  to  his  own  account,  it 
was  one  of  the  most  peaceful  marches  he  ever  performed, 
with  hardly  enough  incident  in  it  to  make  it  interesting. 
It  matters  little,  however ;  all  that  can  be  said  is,  they 
marched  up  to  the  lake  and  then  marched  back  again. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  they  began  their  return  in 
order  of  battle — five  hundred  spearmen  in  front,  five  hun- 
dred as  a  rear  guard,  and  the  expedition  in  the  centre — 
but  no  enemy  attacked  them  or  attempted  to  do  anything 
but  pick  up  some  stragglers.  The  next  day  the  expedition 
formed  the  rear  guard,  and  once  some  natives  rushed  out 
of  the  woods  to  attack  them,  but  were  quickly  dispersed  by 
a  few  shots. 

This  is  all  that  happened  to  this  army  in  terrible  Un- 
yoro, and  presents  a  striking  contrast  to  Baker's  gallant 
march  through  it  with  his  little  band,  fighting  every  day 
for  nearly  a  week.     Four  days  after,  without  any  further 


472  A   GENEROUS   OFFER. 

molestation,  they  re-entered  Uganda,  where  Samboozi 
turned  off  to  his  home.  Stanley  had  heard  no  news 
of  Gordon  or  of  the  steamers  he  was  to  place  on  the  lake 
according  to  the  plan  of  Baker ;  and  though  at  first  he 
thought  that  he  would  seek  some  other  way  to  reach  it  and 
make  his  explorations,  he  finally  resolved  to  start  for  Tan- 
ganika,  which  he  would  reach  in  about  four  months,  and  ex- 
plore it.  Hence,  while  Samboozi  turned  eastward  toward 
Lake  Victoria,  he,  with  his  little  band,  turned  southward. 
He  sent  a  letter,  however,  to  Mtesa,  informing  him 
of  Samboozi's  cowardice  and  refusal  to  build  a  camp  at 
Lake  Albert,  and  telling  him  also  that  this  redoubtable 
general  had  robbed  him.  He  had  intrusted  to  his  care 
three  porter's  loads  of  goods  to  relieve  his  own  carriers, 
and  these  he  had  appropriated  as  his  own. 

When  the  letter  reached  the  emperor  he  was  thrown 
into  a  towering  passion,  and  immediately  dispatched  a 
body  of  troops  to  seize  the  general,  with  orders  to  strip  him 
of  his  wives,  slaves,  cattle  and  everything  he  possessed, 
and  bring  him  bound  to  his  presence.  He  also  sent  letter 
after  letter  to  Stanley,  begging  him  to  return,  and  he 
would  give  him  ninety  thousand  men,  with  brave  generals 
to  command  them,  who  would  take  him  to  Lake  Albert, 
and  protect  him  there  till  he  had  finished  his  explorations. 
Stanley  was  very  much  moved  by  this  generous  offer  and 
the  anxiety  of  the  king  to  make  amends  for  Samboozi's 
poltroonery  and  thieving  conduct.  The  noble  savage  felt  it 
keenly  that  he,  who  valued  so  highly  the  esteem  of  Stan- 
ley, should  be  disgraced  in  his  sight,  and  it  was  hard  for 
the  latter  to  refuse  his  urgent  request  to  be  allowed  to 
redeem  his  character  and  his  pledge.  But  Stanley  had 
had  enough  of  Waganda  troops,  and  felt  that  whatever 
was  accomplished  hereafter  must  be  by  his  well-trained, 
compact,  brave  little  band.  He  kept  on  his  way,  and 
never  saw  Mtesa  again. 


A   LAND    OF   WONDERS.  473 

He  had  been  able  to  add  considerable  to  the  geography 
of  the  country  bordering  on  Lake  Albert.  Usongora,  a 
promontory  running  thirty  miles  into  the  lake  southward, 
he  ascertained  to  be  the  great  salt  field,  from  whence  all  the 
surrounding  countries  obtain  their  salt.  From  all  he  could 
hear,  it  was  truly  a  land  of  wonders,  but  he  says  the  man 
who  should  attempt  to  explore  it  would  need  a  thousand 
muskets,  for  the  natives  cannot  be  enticed  into  peace  by 
cloth  and  beads.  They  care  for  nothing  but  milk  and 
goat-skins.  "  Among  the  wonders  credited  to  it,"  he  says, 
"are  a  mountain  emitting  fire  and  stones,  a  salt  lake  of 
considerable  extent,  several  hills  of  rock-salt,  a  large  plain 
encrusted  thickly  with  salt  and  alkali,  a  breed  of  very  large 
dogs  of  extraordinary  ferocity,  and  a  race  of  such  long- 
legged  natives,  that  ordinary  mortals  regard  them  with 
surprise  and  awe."  They  do  not  allow  members  of  their 
tribe  to  intermarry  with  strangers,  and  their  food,  like  the 
dwellers  in  the  Himalaya  IMountains,  in  India,  consists 
chiefly  of  milk.  Mtesa  once  invaded  their  territory  with 
one  hundred  thousand  men,  to  capture  cows,  of  which  the 
natives  have  an  immense  number,  and  in  watching  which 
consists  their  sole  occupation.  The  army  returned  with 
twenty  thousand,  but  they  were  obtained  at  such  a  fearful 
sacrifice  of  life  that  the  raid  will  not  be  repeated. 

Stanley  rested  a  few  days  after  Samboozi  left  him,  be- 
fore proceeding  northward.  He  then  continued  his  march 
leisurely  through  the  country,  inquiring  on  the  way  the 
character  of  the  tribes  westward  toward  that  part  of  Lake 
Albert  which  extended  south  from  where  he  struck  it,  but 
one  and  all  were  reported  hostile  to  the  passage  of  any 
strangers  through  their  territory. 

Arriving  on  the  Kagera  Eiver  in  Karagwe,  he  found  the 
King  Eumanika  a  mild,  pleasant-spoken  man  and  very 
friendly,  but  he  told  him  that  all  the  neighboring  tribes 


474  PUSHING   THROUGH    PAPYRUS. 

would  not  let  him  enter  their  lands.  The  latter,  a  little 
suspicious  of  the  motives  that  prompted  this  bad  report  of 
the  surrounding  tribes,  to  test  him,  asked  him  if  he  had  any 
objections  to  his  exploring  his  country.  He  said  no,  and 
cheerfully  promised  to  furnish  him  guides  and  an  escort, 
and  his  party  should  be  supplied  with  food,  free  of  charge. 
Stanley,  surprised  at  this  generosity,  at  once  got  ready  to 
start.  He  first  went  south  to  Lake  Windermere,  a  small 
body  of  water  so  named  by  Captain  Speke,  because  of  its 
fancied  resemblance  to  the  lake  of  that  name  in  England. 
The  Lady  Alice  was  taken  there,  screwed  together  and 
launched  on  the  peaceful  waters.  Accompanied  by  six  native 
canoes  he  sailed  round  it  and  then  entered  Kagera  River, 
called  by  Speke  the  Kitangule.  Suddenly  it  flashed  on 
Stanley's  mind  that  he  had  discovered  the  true  parent  of 
the  Victoria  Nile.  It  fed  and  drained  this  little  lake  some 
nine  miles  long.  Moreover,  he  found  that  there  was  a  depth 
of  fifty-two  feet  of  water  and  a  breadth  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet.  He  therefore  pushed  up  it  some  three  days  and 
came  to  another  lake,  nine  miles  long  and  six  miles  wide. 
Working  up  through  the  papyrus  that  covered  the  stream, 
he  came  to  another  lake  or  pond,  a  mile  and  a  half  long. 
Ascending  an  eminence  he  discovered  that  this  whole  por- 
tion of  the  river  was  a  lake — large  tracts  of  which  were 
covered  with  papyrus  or  that  vegetation  which  we  have  seen 
Baker  had  to  contend  with  in  ascending  the  Nile.  It 
seemed  solid  ground,  while  in  fact  it  was  a  large  body  of 
water  covered  over,  with  h6re  and  there  an  opening,  mak- 
ing a  separate  lake,  of  which  Windermere  was  the  largest. 
This  apparently  underground  lake  was  some  eighty  miles 
in  length  and  fourteen  in  width. 

Following  the  river  as  it  flowed  eastward  into  the  Victoria 
Nyanza,  he  found  he  entered  another  lake,  thirteen  miles 
long  and  some  eight  miles  broad.     This  was,  of  course,  the 


ABSURD   THEORIES.  475 

continuation  of  the  lake,  covered  at  intervals  with  this 
tropical  vegetation,  which  gave  to  it  the  appearance  of 
land.  There  were  in  all  seventeen  of  these  lakes.  This 
river  now  broadening  as  the  formation  of  the  land  causes 
it  to  expand,  now  narrowing  till  its  channel  is  forty  feet 
deep,  it  at  last  tumbles  over  cataracts  and  rushes  through 
rapids  into  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  All  this  seems  of  little 
account,  except,  as  Stanley  says,  he  has  found  in  it  the 
true  source  of  the  Victoria  Kile. 

The  great  and  persistent  efforts  to  find  out  the  source  of 
the  Nile  have  led  explorers  to  push  their  theories  to  an 
absurd  extent.  Because  Herodotus  made  the  Nile  to  rise 
in  some  large  springs,  they  seem  to  think  they  must  find 
something  back  and  beyond  a  great  lake  as  its  source.  Now, 
when  a  river  flows  right  on  through  one  lake  after  another, 
making  lakes  as  the  formation  of  the  ground  allows,  it 
of  course  maintains  its  integrity  and  oneness. 

In  this  case  there  is  but  one  main  stream ;  and  as  long 
as  the  lakes  are  the  mere  spreading  out  of  that  stream  on 
low,  flat  lands,  it  must  remain  the  same.  Thus,  in  our  own 
State,  the  two  rivers,  the  Racket  and  the  Saranac,  pass 
through  several  lakes,  yet  remain  always  the  same  rivers, 
with  no  tributaries  but  little  brooks.  But  when  you  come 
to  great  reservoirs  like  the  Albert  and  Victoria  Nyanza 
and  the  Tanganika — ^into  which  a  hundred  streams,  and 
perhaps  twice  that  number  of  springs,  flow — to  go  beyond 
such  reservoirs  to  find  the  head  of  the  stream  is  bringing 
geography  down  to  a  fine  point.  The  outlet  is  plain — you 
have  traced  the  river  up  till  you  see  it  roaring  from  its 
great  feeder.  This  is  very  satisfactory,  and  should  end  all 
research  after  the  source  of  the  stream.  But  to  insist  on 
taking  measurements  of  a  dozen  different  rivers  that  flow 
into  a  lake  a  thousand  miles  in  circumference,  to  find  which 
is  a  mile  longest  or  ten  feet  deepest,  and  thus  determine 


476  HOT   SPEINGS  OF    MTAGATA. 

the  source  of  the  outlet,  is  preposterous.  A  lake  covering 
twenty-two  thousand  square  miles,  fed  by  a  hundred  rivers, 
is  a  reservoir  of  itself,  and  not  an  ex23ansion  of  any  one 
river.  One  might  as  well  try  to  prove  which  is  the  great 
source  or  feeder  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean — the  Amazon, 
Mississippi  or  Congo. 

Thus  we  find  Stanley,  when  he  struck  the  Shimeeyu  in 
Speke  Gulf,  declaring  he  had  found  the  extreme  southern 
source  of  the  Nile ;  and  now,  when  exploring  another  river 
on  another  side  of  the  lake  of  larger  volume,  he  changes 
his  mind  and  thinks  he  has  made  a  great  discovery  in 
ascertaining  at  last  the  true  source  of  the  river.  He  found 
it  over  fifty  feet  deep,  which  showed  what  a  volume  of  water 
it  poured  into  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  Descending  it  again, 
he  entered  another  lake  some  thirteen  miles  long  by  eight 
wide.  Exploring  this,  he  was  driven  back  by  the  natives 
when  he  attempted  to  land,  who  hailed  him  with  shrill 
shouts  and  wild  war-cries.  The  Kagera,  through  its  entire 
length,  maintains  almost  the  same  depth  and  volume. 

Keturning  to  his  generous  host,  he  asked  for  guides  to 
take  him  to  the  hot  springs  of  Mtagata,  the  healing  pro- 
perties of  which  he  had  heard  of  far  and  wide  from  the 
natives.  These  were  cheerfully  given,  and  after  a  march 
of  two  days  he  reached  them.  Here  he  was  met  by  an 
astonishing  growth  of  vegetation.  Plants  of  an  almost  in- 
finite variety  covered  the  ground,  growing  so  thick  and 
crowding  each  other  so  closely,  that  they  became  a  matted 
mass — the  smaller  ones  stifled  by  the  larger — and  out  of 
which  trees  shot  up  an  arrow's-flight  ijito  the  air,  with 
"  globes  of  radiant  green  foliage  upon  their  stem-like 
crowns."  He  found  a  crowd  of  diseased  persons  here,  try- 
ing the  effect  of  the  water.  Naked  men  and  women  were 
lying  promiscuously  around  in  the  steaming  water,  half- 
asleep  and  half-cooked,  for  the  water  showed  a  temperature 


WILD   AND    FIERCE  NATIVES.  479 

of  one  hundred  and  twenty-nine  degrees.  The  springs 
were,  however,  of  different  temperature.  The  hottest  one 
issued  from  the  base  of  a  rocky  hill,  while  four  othei*s, 
twenty  degrees  cooler,  came  bubbling  up  out  of  black  mud, 
and  were  the  favorites  of  the  invalids.  Stanley  camped 
here  three  days,  and  bathed  in  the  water  and  drank  it,  but 
could  perceive  no  effect  whatever  on  his  system.  Return- 
ing to  his  friend  Rumaniki,  he  prepared  to  start  on  his 
journey  south  to  Lake  Tanganika,  and  finish  its  explora- 
tions. 

Having  discovered  that  the  Kagera  River  formed  a  lake 
eighty  miles  long,  and  was  a  powerful  stream  a  long  dis- 
tance from  its  mouth,  he  resolved,  as  it  flowed  from  the 
south,  to  follow  it  up  and  try  to  find  its  source.  A  broad 
wilderness  lay  before  him,  the  extent  of  which  he  did  not 
accurately  know,  and  he  packed  ten  days'  provisions  on  the 
shoulders  of  each  man  of  the  expedition,  and  bidding  the 
soft-voiced  pagan  king,  by  whom  he  had  been  treated  so 
kindly,  a  warm  good-bye,  he  entered  the  forest  and  kept 
along  the  right  bank  of  the  stream.  This  was  the  27th  of 
March,  and  for  six  days  he  marched  through  an  unin- 
habited wilderness,  with  nothing  to  break  the  monotony  of 
the  journey.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  came  to  the 
borders  of  Karagwe  and  to  the  point  where  the  Akanyaru 
River  entered  the  Kagera.  He  dared  not  explore  this 
river,  for  the  natives  that  inhabit  both  banks  are  wild  and 
fierce,  having  a  deadly  hatred  of  all  strangers.  They  are 
like  the  long-legged  race  of  Bumbireh,  and  he  did  not  care 
to  come  in  collision  with  them.  They  possess  many  cattle, 
and  if  one  sickens  or  dies,  they  do  not  attribute  it  to  acci- 
dent, but  believe  it  has  been  bewitched,  and  search  the 
country  through  to  find  the  stranger  who  has  done  it,  and 
if  he  is  found,  he  dies. 

All  the  natives  of  the  region  are  passionately  fond  of 


480  A   DOMESTIC   PICTURE. 

tlieir  cows,  and  will  part  with  anything  sooner  than  milk. 
Stanley  says  that  his  friend  E-umaniki,  with  all  his  gene- 
rosity, never  offered  him  a  teaspoonful  of  milk,  and  if  he 
had  given  him  a  can  of  it  he  believes  his  people  would 
have  torn  him  limb  from  limb.  He  thinks  that  half  of 
their  hostility  arises  from  the  fear  of  the  evil  effect  that 
the  presence  of  strangers  will  have  on  their  cattle.  Hence 
they  keep  a  strict  quarantine  on  their  frontiers.  It  is  not 
strange  that  they  should  cherish  them  carefully,  for  they 
are  their  sole  means  of  subsistence. 

This  long  journey  through  various  tribes  is  singularly 
barren  of  incident.  He  lost  his  last  dog.  Bull,  on  the 
route,  who  had  bravely  held  out  in  all  their  long  wander- 
ings, but  at  last  gave  up  and  laid  down  and  died,  with  his 
eyes  fixed  on  the  retiring  expedition.  He  also  met  the 
redoubtable  Mirambo,  and  found  him  not  the  blood-thirsty 
monster  he  had  been  represented  to  be,  but  a  polite, 
pleasant-mannered  gentleman,  and  generous  to  a  fault. 
They  made  blood  brotherhood  together,  and  became  fast 
friends.  At  length,  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  he  reached 
Ujiji,  where  he  formerly  found  Livingstone.  The  following 
extract  from  a  private  letter  of  Stanley's,  written  to  a  friend 
while  at  Lake  Victoria,  gives  a  domestic  picture  that  is 
quite  charming,  he  says  that  "Kagehyi  is  a  straggling  vil- 
lage of  cane  huts,  twenty  or  thirty  in  number,  which  are 
built  somewhat  in  the  form  of  a  circle,  hedged  around  by 
a  fence  of  thorns  twisted  between  upright  stakes.  Sketch 
such  a  village  in  your  imagination,  and  let  the  centre  of 
it  be  dotted  here  and  there  with  the  forms  of  kidlings  who 
prank  it  with  the  vivacity  of  kidlings  under  a  hot,  glowing 
sun.  Let  a  couple  of  warriors  and  a  few  round-bellied 
children  be  seen  among  them,  and  near  a  tall  hut  which  is 
a  chief's,  plant  a  taller  tree,  under  whose  shade  sit  a  few 
elders  in  council  with  their  chief;  so  much  for  the  village. 


MY    QUARTERS.  481 

Now  outside  the  village,  yet  touching  the  fence,  begin  to 
draw  the  form  of  a  square  camp,  about  fifty  yards  square, 
each  side  flanked  with  low,  square  huts,  under  the  eaves  of 
which,  plant  as  many  figures  of  men  as  you  please,  for  we 
have  many,  and  you  have  the  camp  of  the  exploring  ex- 
pedition, commanded  by  your  friend  and  humble  servant. 
From  the  centre  of  the  camp  you  may  see  Lake  Victoria, 
or  that  portion  of  it  I  have  called  Speke  Gulf,  and 
twenty-five  miles  distant  you  may  see  table-topped  Magita, 
the  large  island  of  Ukerewe,  and  toward  the  north-west  a 
clear  horizon,  with  nothing  between  water  and  sky  to  mar 
its  level.  The  surface  of  the  lake  which  approaches  to 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  camp  is  much  ruffled  just  at 
present  with  a  north-west  breeze,  and  though  the  sun  is 
glowing  hot,  under  the  shade  it  is  agreeable  enough,  so  that 
nobody  perspires  or  is  troubled  with  the  heat.  You  must 
understand  there  is  a  vast  difference  between  New  York  and 
Central  African  heat.  Yours  is  a  sweltering  heat,  begetting 
languor  and  thirst — ours  is  a  dry  heat,  permitting  activity 
and  action  without  thirst  or  perspiration.  If  we  exposed 
ourselves  to  the  sun,  we  should  feel  quite  as  though  we 
were  being  baked.  Come  with  me  to  my  lodgings,  now. 
I  lodge  in  a  hut  little  inferior  in  size  to  the  chief's.  In  it 
is  stored  the  luggage  of  the  expedition,  which  fills  one-half. 
It  is  about  six  tons  in  weight,  and  consists  of  cloth,  beads, 
wire,  shells,  ammunition,  powder,  barrels,  portmanteaus, 
iron  trunks,  photographic  apparatus,  scientific  instruments, 
pontoons,  sections  of  boat,  etc.,  etc.  The  other  half  of  the 
hut  is  my  sleeping,  dining  and  hall-room.  It  is  dark 
as  pitch  within,  for  light  cannot  penetrate  the  mud 
with  which  the  wood-work  is  liberally  daubed.  The  floor 
is  of  dried  mud,  thickly  covered  with  dust,  which  breeds 
fleas  and  other  vermin  to  be  a  plague  to  me  and  my  poor 
dogs. 


482  CUKRENCY   OF  AFRICA. 

"  I  have  four  youthful  Mercuries,  of  ebon  color,  attend- 
ing me,  who,  on  the  march,  carry  my  personal  weapons  of 
defense.  I  do  not  need  so  many  persons  to  wait  on  me, 
but  such  is  their  pleasure.  They  find  their  reward  in  the 
liberal  leavings  of  the  table.  If  I  have  a  goat  killed  for 
European  men,  half  of  it  suffices  for  two  days  for  us. 
When  it  becomes  slightly  tainted,  my  Mercuries  will  beg 
for  it,  and  devour  it  at  a  single  sitting.  Just  outside  of  the 
door  of  my  hut  are  about  two  dozen  of  my  men  sitting, 
squatted  in  a  circle  and  stringing 'beads.  A  necklace  of 
beads  is  each  man's  daily  sum  wherewith  to  buy  food.  I 
have  now  a  little  over  one  hundred  and  sixty  men. 
Imagine  one  hundred  and  sixty  necklaces  given  each  day 
for  the  last  three  months — in  the  aggregate  the  sum 
amounts  to  fourteen  thousand  necklaces — in  a  year  to 
fifty-eight  thousand  four  hundred.  A  necklace  of  ordinary 
beads  is  cheap  enough  in  the  States,  but  the  expense  of 
carriage  makes  a  necklace  here  equal  to  about  twenty-five 
cents  in  value.  For  a  necklace  I  can  buy  a  chicken,  or  a 
peck  of  sweet  potatoes,  or  half  a  peck  of  grain. 

"I  left  the  coast  with  about  forty  thousand  yards  of 
cloth,  which,  in  the  States,  would  be  worth  about  twelve  and 
a  half  cents  a  yard,  or  altogether  about  five  thousand  dol- 
lars— the  expense  of  portage,  as  far  as  this  lake,  makes  each 
yard  worth  about  fifty  cents.  Two  yards  of  cloth  will  pur- 
chase a  goat  or  sheep ;  thirty  will  purchase  an  ox ;  fifteen 
yards  are  enough  to  purchase  rations  for  the  entire  caravan." 

Why  these  naked  savages  put  such  a  high  value  on 
cloth,  none  of  these  African  explorers  inform  us.  We  can 
understand  why  they  should  like  beads,  brass  wire,  shells 
and  trinkets  of  all  sorts.  They  certainly  use  very  little 
cloth  on  their  persons. 

He  adds :  "  These  are  a  few  of  the  particulars  of  our 
domestic   affairs.     The  expedition   is  divided  into  eight 


COMPELLED   TO  KILL.  483 

squads,  of  twenty  men  each,  with  an  experienced  man  over 
each  squad.  They  are  all  armed  with  Snider's  percussion- 
lock  muskets.  A  dozen  or  so  of  the  most  faithful  have  a 
brace  of  revolvers  in  addition  to  their  other  arms." 

He  then  goes  on  to  speak  of  the  battles  he  has  fought, 
and  it  is  but  just  to  him  to  give  his  feelings  as  he  describes 
them  in  confidential  private  correspondence,  on  being  com- 
pelled to  kill  the  savages.  He  says :  "As  God  is  my  judge, 
I  would  prefer  paying  tribute,  and  making  these  savages 
friends  rather  than  enemies.  But  some  of  these  people  are 
cursed  with  such  delirious  ferocity  that  we  are  compelled 
to  defend  ourselves.  They  attack  in  such  numbers  and  so 
sudden,  that  our  repeating  rifles  and  Sniders  have  to  be 
handled  with  such  nervous  rapidity  as  will  force  them  back 
before  we  are  forced  to  death ;  for  if  we  allow  them  to  come 
within  forty  yards,  their  spears  are  as  fatal  as  bullets ;  their 
spears  make  fearful  wounds,  while  their  contemptible- 
looking  arrows  are  as  deadly  weapons.  *  *  *  Since  I 
left  Zanzibar,  I  have  traveled  seven  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  by  land  and  a  thousand  miles  by  water.  This  is  a 
good  six  months'  work." 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

BACK  TO  Ujiji—PLEASANT  ASSOCIATIONS— THE  MYSTERY  OF  TANGANIKA— NO  OUTLET— CAME- 
RON'S EXPEDITION— THINKS  HE  DISCOVERS  THE  OUTLET— DOUBTS  OF  STANLEY— THE  LAKE 
CONSTANTLY  RISING— STANLEY  STARTS  TO  EXAMINE  FOR  HIMSEIJi'— BAGS  TWO  ZEBRAS— A 
"WHOLE  VILLAGE  MASSACRED— BEACHES  CAMERON'S  OUTLET— EXPLORES  IT  THOROUGHLY — 
DECLARES  CAMERON  TO  BE  MISTAKEN— THE  FUTURE  OUTLET— LIVINGSTONE'S  INFLUENCE- THE 
SMALL-POX  IN  CAMP— DESERTION  OF  HIS  MEN— PROJIPT  MEASURES— CROSSES  THE  TANGANIKA— 
MORE  DESERTIONS— PEOPLE  OF  MANYEMA— SINGULAR  CUSTOM. 

IT  was  with  strange  feelings  that  Stanley  caught  from 
the  last  ridge  the  sparkling  waters  of  Tanganika. 
Sweet  associations  were  awakened  at  the  sight,  as  he 
remembered  with  what  a  thrilling  heart  he  first  saw  it 
gleam  in  the  landscape.  Then  it  was  the  end  of  a  long, 
wasting  and  perilous  journey — the  goal  of  his  ambition, 
the  realization  of  his  fondest  hopes ;  for  on  its  shores  he 
believed  the  object  for  which  he  had  toiled  so  long  was 
resting.  No  welcomer  sight  ever  dawned  on  mortal  eye 
than  its  waters  as  they  spread  away  on  the  horizon ;  and 
though  he  should  see  it  a  hundred  times,  it  will  never 
appear  to  him  like  any  other  sheet  of  water.  He  has 
formed  for  it  an  attachment  that  will  last  forever;  and 
whenever  in  imagination  it  rises  before  him,  it  will  appear 
like  the  face  of  a  friend. 

As  he  now  descended  to  Ujiji,  it  was  with  sensations  as 
though  he  were  once  more  entering  civilized  life,  for  there 
was  something  almost  homelike  about  this  Arab  colony. 
People  dressed  in  civilized  garments  were  moving  about 
the  streets,  cattle  were  coming  down  to  the  lake  to  drink, 
and  domestic  animals  scattered  here  and  there  made  quite 
a  domestic  scene. 

484 


THE   MYSTEKY   OF   LAKE   TANGANIKA.  485 

At  first  sight,  it  seems  strange  that  Stanley  should  have 
selected  this  lake  as  the  next  scene  of  his  explorations. 
He  had  already,  with  Livingstone,  explored  thoroughly 
the  upper  half  of  it,  and  passed  part  way  down  the  wes- 
tern side ;    Livingstone  had  been  at  the  foot  of  it,  and  to 
crown  all,  he  had  heard,  before  leaving  Zanzibar,  that  Came- 
ron had  explored  the  entire  southern  portion,  so  that  really 
there  was  nothing  for  him  to  do,  but  follow  a  path  wdiich 
had  been  already  trodden.     To  employ  an  expedition  fitted 
out  at  so  great  a  cost,  and  spend  so  much  valuable  time  in 
going  over  old  ground,  seems  an  utter  waste  of  both  time 
and   labor,  especially  when    such  vast  unexplored  fields 
spread  all  around  him.     But  there  was  a  mystery  about 
Tanganika,   that    we    suspect    Stanley   did    not    believe 
Cameron  had  solved,  and  which  he  meant  to   clear   up. 
Here  was  a  lake  over  three  hundred  miles  long,  with  per- 
haps a  hundred  streams,  great  and  small,  running  into  it, 
and  yet  with  no  outlet,  unless  Cameron  had  found  it,  which 
he  thinks  he  did.     To  find  this  was  the  chief  object  of  the 
expedition  Stanley  and  Livingstone  made  together  to  the 
north  end  of  the  lake.     They  had  heard  that  the  Busizi 
River  at  that  extremity  was  the  outlet,  but  they  found  it 
instead  a  tributary.     In  fact,  they  proved  conclusively  that 
there  was  no  outlet  at  the  northern  end,  and  it  therefore  must 
be  at  the  southern,  and  if  so,  the  commencement  of  a  river 
that  would  become  a  mighty  stream  before  it  reached  the 
ocean.     But  no  such  stream  was  known   to   exist.     The 
Caspian  Sea  has  large  and  rapid  rivers  flowing  into  it,  but 
no  outlet,  yet  it  never  fills  up.    Evaporation,  it  is  supposed, 
accounts  for  this.     But  the  Caspian  is  salt,  while  the  Tan- 
ganika is  fresh  water,  and  such  a  large  body  of  fresh  water 
as  this  was  never  known  to  exist  without  an  outlet,  and  if 
it  could  be  that  evaporation  was  so  great  as  to  equal  all  the 
water  that  runs  into  it,  it  would  not  remain  so  fresh  as  it  is. 


486  LUKUGA   CREEK. 

We  said,  when  sketching  the  route  of  Cameron,  that  we 
omitted  his  explorations  on  this  lake  because  it  would  be 
better  to  take  them  with  Stanley's,  as  the  main  object  of 
both  was  the  same.  We  will  first  let  Cameron  state  his 
own  case.  He  started  with  two  canoes  and  thirty-seven 
men,  and  sailed  down  the  eastern  shore  of  the  lake,  now 
ravished  with  the  surpassing  beauty  of  the  scene  composed 
of  lake  and  sky,  and  smiling  shores,  and  again  awed  by 
beetling  cliffs — one  evening  camping  on  the  green  banks 
and  watching  the  sun  go  down  behind  the  purple  peaks, 
and  another  drenched  with  rain,  and  startled  by  the  vivid 
lightning  and  awful  thunder  crashes  of  a  tropical  storm, 
yet  meeting  with  no  incident  of  any  peculiar  interest  to 
the  reader.  The  natives  were  friendly,  and  he  describes 
the  different  villages  and  customs  of  the  people  and  their 
superstitions,  which  do  not  vary  materially  from  other 
native  tribes.  At  last,  on  the  3d  of  May,  entered  the 
Lukuga  Creek,  which  a  chief  told  him  was  the  outlet  of 
the  lake.  He  says  that  the  entrance  was  more  than  a 
mile  wide,  "but  closed  up  by  a  grass  sand-bank,  with 
the  exception  of  a  channel  three  or  four  hundred 
yards  wide.  Across  this  there  is  a  rill  where  the  surf 
breaks  heavily,  although  there  was  more  than  a  fathom  of 
water  at  its  most  shallow  part."  The  next  day  he  went 
down  it  four  or  five  miles,  until  navigation  was  rendered 
impossible,  owing  to  the  masses  of  floating  vegetation. 
Here  the  depth  was  eighteen  feet,  and  breadth  six  hundred 
yards,  and  the  current  a  knot  and  a  half  an  hour.  The 
chief  who  accompanied  him  said  that  it  emptied  into  the 
Lualaiba.  He  tried  in  vain  to  hire  men  to  cut  a  passage 
through  the  vegetation  that  he  might  explore  the  river. 
This  was  all  the  knowledge  he  obtained  by  actual  observa- 
tion, the  rest  of  his  information  being  obtained  from  the 
natives. 


A   VILLAGE   MASSACEED.  487 

Now,  we  must  say,  that  this  is  a  sorry  exhibit  for  the 
outlet  to  a  lake  almost  twice  as  long  as  Lake  Ontario. 
That  such  an  immense  body  of  water  should  trickle  away 
at  this  rate  seems  very  extraordinary.  Stanley  at  Ujiji 
started  on  foot  inquiries  respecting  this  stream,  and  found 
Cameron's  guide,  who  stoutly  denied  that  the  river  flowed 
south  from  the  lake.  Another  veteran  guide  corroborated 
this  statement,  while  many  others  declared  that  before 
Cameron  came,  they  had  never  heard  of  an  outflowing 
river. 

These  contradictory  statements,  together  with  the  uni- 
versal testimony  that  the  lake  was  continually  rising,  the 
truth  of  which  he  could  not  doubt,  as  he  saw  palm-trees 
standing  in  the  market-place  when  he  was  there  in  1871, 
now  one  hundred  feet  out  in  the  lake — made  him  resolve 
to  explore  this  stream  himself.  He  started  on  the  11th 
of  June,  and  three  days  after  landed  to  take  a  hunt,  and 
soon  came  upon  a  herd  of  zebras,  two  of  which  he  bagged, 
and  thus  secured  a  supply  of  meat. 

On  the  19th,  on  approaching  a  large  village,  they  were 
astonished  to  see  no  people  on  the  shore.  Landing,  they 
were  still  more  astonished  at  the  death-like  silence  that 
reigned  around,  and  advancing  cautiously  came  upon  corpses 
of  men  and  women  transfixed  with  spears  or  with  their 
heads  cut  off.  Entering  into  the  village  they  found  that 
there  had  been  a  wholesale  massacre.  A  descent  had  been 
made  upon  the  place,  but  by  whom  no  one  was  left  to  tell, 
and  its  entire  population  put  to  death. 

As  Stanley  proceeded,  he  found  other  evidences  of  the 
steady  rise  of  the  lake.  He  continued  on  his  course,  find- 
ing the  same  varied  scenery  that  Cameron  did,  with 
nothing  of  peculiar  interest  occurring,  except  to  the  travel- 
ers themselves,  and  at  length  came  to  the  Lukuga  Creek. 
He  found  various  traditions  and  accounts  here — one  native 


488  THEORY   OF   THE   MYSTERY. 

said  tlie  water  flowed  both  ways.  The  spot  on  which 
Cameron  encamped,  some  two  years  before,  was  covered 
with  water,  another  evidence  that  the  lake  was  rising.  He 
very  sensibly  says  that  the  "rill,"  which  Cameron  states 
runs  directly  across  the  channel,  is  conclusive  evidence 
that  the  Lukuga  runs  into,  instead  of  out  of  the  lake,  for  it 
must  be  formed  by  the  meeting  of  the  inflowing  current 
and  the  waves.  An  outpouring  stream  driven  onward  by 
waves  would  make  a  deep  channel,  not  a  dam  of  sand. 
He  tried  several  experiments,  by  which  he  proved,  to  his 
entire  satisfaction,  that  the  stream  flowed  in  the  lake 
instead  of  being  its  outlet.  Having  settled  this  question 
he  set  about  finding  the  other  river,  which  the  natives 
declared  flowed  out  or  westward.  After  traveling  some 
distance  inland  he  did  find  a  place  were  the  water  flowed 
west;  it  was,  however,  a  mere  trickling  stream.  His  ac- 
count of  all  his  explorations  here,  and  the  traditions  of  the 
natives  and  description  of  the  formation  of  the  country  and 
probable  geological  changes  is  quite  lengthy,  but  posseses 
but  little  interest  to  the  general  reader. 

The  result  of  it  all,  however,  is,  he  believes,  that  the 
Lukuga  was  formerly  a  tributary  of  the  lake,  the  bed  of 
which  at  some  former  time  was  lifted  up  to  a  higher  level, 
that  the  whole  stretch  of  land  here  has  been  sunk  lower  by 
some  convulsion  of  nature,  taking  the  Lukuga  with  it,  and 
thus  making  a  sort  of  dam  of  the  land  at  the  foot,  which 
accounts  for  the  steady  rise  of  the  river  year  by  year ;  and 
that  in  three  years  the  lake  will  rise  above  it,  and,  gather- 
ing force,  will  tear  like  a  resistless  torrent  through  all  this 
mud  and  vegetation,  and,  roaring  on  as  the  Nile  does  where 
it  leaves  the  Victoria  Nyanza,  sweep  through  the  country 
till  it  pours  its  accumulated  waters  into  the  Lualaba,  and 
thus  swell  the  Congo  into  a  still  larger  Amazon  of  Africa. 
This  seems  to  be  the  only  plausible  solution  of  the  mystery 


INFLUENCE   OF   LIVINGSTONE.  489 

attached  to  Tanganika.  The  only  objection  to  it  is,  no 
such  convulsion  or  change  of  the  bed  of  the  Tanganika 
seems  to  have  occurred  during  this  generation,  and  what 
has  become  then,  for  at  least  seventy  years,  of  all  the  waters 
these  hundred  rivers  have  been  pouring  into  the  lake? 
We  should  like  the  estimate  of  some  engineer  of  how  many 
feet  that  lake  would  rise  in  fifty  years,  with  all  its  tribu- 
taries pouring  incessantly  such  a  flood  of  water  into  it. 
We  are  afraid  the  figures  would  hardly  harmonize  with 
this  slow  rise  of  the  lake.  It  may  be  that  there  is  a 
gradual  filtering  of  the  water  through  the  ooze  at  the  foot, 
which  will  account  for  the  slow  filling  up  of  the  great 
basin — a  leakage  that  arrests  the  process  of  accumulation. 
But  if  Stanley's  explorations  and  statements  can  be  relied 
upon,  the  mystery  will  soon  solve  itself  and  men  will  not 
have  to  hunt  for  an  outlet  long.  He  makes  its  length  three 
hundred  and  twenty-nine  geographical  miles,  and  its  ave- 
rage breadth  twenty-eight  miles. 

The  wonderful  influence  of  Livingstone  over  all  African 
explorers,  is  nowhere  more  visible  than  here  at  Ujiji,  on 
both  Cameron  and  Stanley.  Both  had  set  out  with  one 
object — to  try  to  complete  the  work  that  the  great  and  good 
man's  death  had  left  unfinished.  His  feet  had  pressed  the 
shores  of  almost  every  lake  either  had  seen,  as  well  as 
those  of  others  which  they  had  not  seen.  The  man  had 
seemed  to  be  drawn  on  westward  until  he  reached  Nyangwe, 
where  dimly  arose  before  him  the  Atlantic  Ocean — into 
which  the  waters  flowing  past  his  camp  might  enter,  and 
did  enter  if  they  were  not  the  Nile.  Discouraged,  de- 
serted and  driven  back,  he  could  not  embark  on  the 
Lualaba  and  float  downward  with  its  current,  till  he  un- 
veiled the  mystery  that  wrapped  it.  Cameron  became 
filled  with  the  same  desire,  but  disappointed,  though  not 
driven  back,  he  had  j)ressed  on  to  the  ocean,  into  which 


490  SMALL-POX   BREAKS   OUT. 

he  had  no  doubt  the  river  emptied,  but  by  another  route. 
And  now  last  comes  Stanley,  and  instead  of  finishing 
Livingstone's  work  around  the  lakes,  he,  too,  is  drawn 
forward  to  the  same  point.  It  seemed  to  be  the  stopping- 
place,  looking-off-place  of  explorations  in  Africa;  and 
although  he  knew  that  Cameron  had  not  returned  like 
Livingstone,  and  hence  might  have  discovered  all  that  was 
to  be  discovered  and  make  his  further  explorations  in  that 
direction  useless,  still  he  felt  he  must  go  on  and  find  out 
for  himself.  True,  there  was  an  interesting  district  between 
Ujiji  and  the  Lualaba. 

There  was  the  beautiful  Manyema  region,  about  which 
Livingstone  had  talked  to  him  enthusiastically,  with  its  new 
style  of  architecture,  and  beautiful  women  and  simple- 
minded  people.  But  those  did  not  form  the  attraction. 
He  must  stand  on  the  spot  where  Livingstone  stood,  and 
look  off  with  his  yearning  desire  and  see  if  he  could  not 
do  what  this  good  man  was  willing  to  risk  all  to  accom- 
plish. 

At  all  events,  he  must  move  somewhere  at  once,  and 
westward  seemed  the  most  natural  direction  to  take,  for  if 
he  stayed  in  Ujiji  much  longer  the  expedition  would  break 
up.  He  found  on  his  return  that  the  small-pox  had  broken 
out  in  camp,  filling  the  Arabs  with  dismay.  He  had  taken 
precaution,  on  starting,  to  vaccinate,  as  he  supposed,  every 
member  of  his  party,  and  hence  felt  safe  from  this  scourge 
of  Africa.  He  did  not  lose  a  single  man  with  it  on  his 
long  journey  from  the  sea  to  the  Victoria  Nyanza.  But 
here  it  had  broken  out  in  Ujiji  with  such  fury  that  a  pall 
was  spread  over  the  place  and  had  invaded  his  camjo,  so 
that  in  a  few  days  eight  of  his  men  died. 

This  created  a  panic,  and  they  began  to  desert  in  such 
numbers  that  he  would  soon  be  left  alone.  Thirty-eight 
were  missing,  which  made  quite  a  perceptible  loss  in  a 


DESERTION   BECOMES   CONTAGIOUS.  491 

force  of  only  one  hundred  and  seventy  men.  The  chiefs 
of  the  expedition  were  thoroughly  frightened,  but  told 
him  that  the  desertions  would  increase  if  he  moved  west- 
ward, for  the  men  were  as  much  afraid  of  the  cannibals 
there  as  of  the  small-pox  in  their  midst.  They  were  told 
horrible  stories  of  these  cannibals  till  their  teeth  chattered 
with  fear.  Besides  there  were  hobgoblins — monsters  of 
every  kind  in  the  land  beyond  the  Tanganika.  Stanley 
saw,  therefore,  that  prompt  measures  must  be  taken,  and  he 
at  once  clapped  thirty-two  of  the  discontented  in  irons, 
drove  them  into  canoes  and  sent  them  off  to  Ukureng-a.  He 
with  the  rest  followed  after  by  land  to  Msehazy  Creek, 
where  the  crossing  of  the  lake  was  to  be  effected.  Reach- 
ing the  other  side  he  proceeded  to  Uguha,  where,  on 
mustering  his  force,  he  found  but  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
seven  out  of  one  hundred  and  seventy,  showing  that  one- 
third  had  disappeared.  Among  the  last  to  go,  and  the 
last  Stanley  expected  would  leave  him,  was  young  Kalulu, 
whom  he  had  taken  home  to  the  United  States  with  him  on 
his  return  from  his  first  expedition.  He  had  him  placed  in 
school  in  England  for  eighteen  months,  and  he  had  seemed 
devoted  to  Stanley.  A  gloom  hung  over  the  camp,  and 
the  desertion  was  becoming  too  contagious,  and  if  such  men 
as  Kalulu  could  not  be  trusted,  he  knew  of  no  one  that 
could  be,  and  with  his  usual  promptness  he  determined  to 
stop  it.  He  therefore  sent  back  Pocoke  and  a  faithful 
chief  with  a  squad  of  men  to  capture  them. 

Paddling  back  to  Ujiji,  they  one  night  came  upon  six, 
who,  after  a  stout  fight,  were  secured  and  brought  over 
to  camp.  Afterward  young  Kalulu  was  found  on  an  island 
and  brought  in.  This  desertion  is  a  chronic  disease  with  the 
Arabs.  Their  superstitious  fears  are  easily  aroused,  and 
they  are  easily  tempted  to  break  their  contract  and  leave 
the  man  to  whom  they  have  hired  themselves  in  the  lurch. 


492  PECULIAR    CUSTOMS    OF    THE    PEOPLE. 

It  was  a  sudden  fear  that  caused  the  Johanna  men  to 
desert  Livingstone,  and  then,  to  cover  up  their  dastardly 
conduct,  invent  a  battle,  in  which  they  said  he  was  killed. 

Stanley's  march  to  Manyema  was  noticeable  only  for 
the  curious  customs  or  habits  of  the  people,  and  on  the  5th. 
of  October  he  reached  the  frontier  of  this  wonderful  coun- 
try. Livingstone  had  halted  here  several  months,  and  this 
was  an  inducement  to  Stanley  to  stop  for  a  few  days.  The 
weapons  of  the  natives  were  excellent,  and  there  was  one 
peculiar  custom  that  attracted  his  particular  attention — the 
men  wore  lumps  of  various  form  of  mud  and  patches  of 
mud  on  their  beard,  hair  and  head,  while  the  women  wove 
their  hair  into  head-dresses,  resembling  bonnets,  leaving 
the  back  hair  to  wave  in  ringlets  over  their  shoulders. 
He,  as  well  as  Cameron,  was  struck  with  their  villages, 
which  had  one  or  more  broad  streets  runnino:  through 
them,  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  wide, 
alongside  of  which  are  ranged  the  square  huts,  with  well- 
beaten,  cleanly-kept  clay  floors,  to  which  they  cheerfully 
invite  strangers. 

On  the  12th  he  reached  a  village  on  the  Luma,  which 
he  had  been  following,  where  both  Livingstone  and  Came- 
ron left  it  and  turned  directly  west,  to  Nyangwe.  He, 
however,  determined  to  follow  it  till  it  reached  the  Lualaba, 
and  then  proceed  by  this  stream  to  the  same  place.  He 
found  the  natives  kind  but  timid,  with  many  curious  tradi- 
tions and  customs.  The  expedition  at  length  reached  the 
Lualaba,  moving  majestically  through  the  forest  and 
making  rapid  marches,  arrived  next  day  at  Tubunda. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

IIVINGSTOHE  AT  NYANGWE— REMEMBRANCE  OF  HIM  BY  THE  NATIVES— "THE  GOOD  MAN"— HI3 
TROUBLES  HEBE  AWAKEN  STANLEY'S  PITY— A  MAGNIFICENT  COUNTRY— GLOWING  DESCRIPTION 
OF  IT— RUINED  BY  SLAVERY— THE  SLAVE  TRADE— ITS  CHARACTER— EBONY  SKELETONS- 
HORRIBLE  SIGHTS— THE  TRADERS— MODE  OF  CAPTURE— FAITHLESSNESS  OF  THE  PRINCE  OP 
ZANZIBAR— EXTRACTS  FROM  STANLEY'S  JOURNAL— A  DEPOPULATED  COUNTRY— THE  WAY  TO 
STOP  THE  TRAFFIC. 

IN  the  article  on  Cameron  we  said  that  Nyangwe  was 
the  farthest  point  west  in  Africa  ever  reached  by  a 
white  man  coming  in  from  the  east.  It  is  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  Ujiji,  or  a  little  over  the  dis- 
tance across  New  York  State,  but  the  journey  is  not  made 
in  one  day — Stanley  was  forty  days  in  accomplishing  it. 
Here  he  found  that  Livingstone,  the  first  white  man  ever 
seen  there,  must  have  remained  from  six  to  twelve  months. 
The  women  he  speaks  of  he  says  must  be  those  of  the  dis- 
trict Manyema.  He  found  that  Livingstone  had  made  a 
profound  impression  on  the  natives  of  this  region.  "  Did 
you  know  him?"  asked  an  old  chief  eagerly.  Stanley 
replying  in  the  affirmative,  he  turned  to  his  sons  and 
brothers  and  said :  "  He  knew  the  good  white  man.  Ah, 
we  shall  hear  all  about  him."  Then  turning  to  Stanley, 
he  said :  "  Was  he  not  a  very  good  man  ?"  "  Yes,"  replied 
the  latter,  "  he  was  good,  my  friend ;  far  better  than  any 
white  man  or  Arab  you  will  ever  see  again."  "  Ah,"  said 
the  old  negro,  "you  speak  true;  he  was  so  gentle  and 
patient,  and  told  us  such  pleasant  stories  of  the  wonderful 
land  of  the  white  people — the  aged  white  was  a  good  man 

indeed." 

493 


494  KEMEMBRANCE   OF   LIVIXGSTOKE. 

Every  now  and  then  it  leaks  out  what  a  strong  impres- 
sion Livingstone  made  on  Stanley,  and  he  here  says: 
"  What  has  struck  me  while  tracing  Livingstone  to  his 
utmost  researches — this  Arab  depot  of  Nyangwe — revived 
all  my  grief  and  pity  for  him,  even  more  so  than  his 
own  relation  of  sorrowful  and  heavy  things,  is,  that  he 
does  not  seem  to  be  aware  that  he  was  sacrificing  himself 
unnecessarily,  nor  warned  of  the  havoc  of  age,  and  that  his 
old  power  had  left  him.  With  the  weight  of  years  pressing 
upon  him,  the  shortest  march  wearying  him,  compelling 
him  to  halt  many  days  to  recover  his  strength,  and  fre- 
quent attacks  of  illness  prostrating  him,  with  neither  men 
nor  means  to  escort  him  and  enable  him  to  make  practical 
j)rogress,  Livingstone  was  at  last  like  a  blind  and  infirm 
man  moving  aimlessly  about.  He  was  his  own  worst 
taskmaster." 

Whether  Stanley's  views  of  the  mental  condition  of 
Livingstone — growing  out  of  his  sickness  and  want  of 
money  whilein  Nyangwe — are  correct  or  not,  one  thing  is 
true :  that  after  the  great  explorer  had  apparently  reached 
the  very  point  when  the  problem  was  to  be  solved  as  to 
where  the  mysterious  Lualaba  flowed,  he  waited  here  till 
he  found  a  caravan  going  east,  and  then  returned  to  Ujiji 
"  a  sorely  tried  and  disappointed  man."  Standing  on  the 
last  point  w^hicli  this  intrepid  explorer  reached,  Stanley  is 
reminded  of  his  own  earnest  efforts  to  induce  him  to  return 
home  and  recruit,  to  which  the  invariable  answer  was: 
"  No,  no,  no ;  to  be  knighted,  as  you  say,  by  the  queen, 
welcomed  by  thousands  of  admirers,  yes — but  impossible, 
must  not,  can  not,  will  not  be." 

Stanley,  on  this  outmost  verge  of  exploration,  remembers 
the  words  of  Livingstone  when  speaking  of  the  beauties  of 
the  region  lying  west  of  the  Goma  Mountains,  and  says, 
"  It  is  a  most  remarkable  region ;  more  remarkable  than 


A   REMAKKABLE   REGION.  495 

anything  I  have  seen  in  Africa.  Its  woods,  or  forest,  or 
jungles,  or  brush — I  do  not  know  by  what  particular  term  to 
designate  the  crowded,  tall,  straight  trees,  rising  from  an 
impenetrable  mass  of  brush,  creepers,  thorns,  gums,  palm, 
ferns  of  ail  sorts,  canes  and  grass — are  sublime,  even  ter- 
rible. Indeed  nature  here  is  remarkably  or  savagely  beau- 
tiful. From  every  point  the  view  is  enchanting — the  out- 
lines eternally  varying,  yet  always  beautiful,  till  the  whole 
panorama  seems  like  a  changing  vision.  Over  all,  nature," 
he  says,  "  has  flung  a  robe  of  varying  green,  the  hills  and 
ridges  are  blooming,  the  valleys  and  basins  exhale  perfume, 
the  rocks  wear  garlands  of  creepers,  the  stems  of  the  trees 
are  clothed  with  moss,  a  thousand  streamlets  of  cold,  pure 
water  stray,  now  languid,  now  quick  toward  the  north  and 
south  and  west.  The  whole  makes  a  pleasing,  charming 
illustration  of  the  bounteousness  and  wild  beauty  of  tropi- 
cal nature.  But,  alas !  all  this  is  seen  at  a  distance ;  when 
you  come  to  travel  through  this  world  of  beauty,  the  illu- 
sion vanishes — the  green  grass  becomes  as  difficult  to  pene- 
trate as  an  undergrowth,  and  that  lovely  sweep  of  shrub- 
bery a  mass  of  thorns,  the  gently  rolling  ridge  an  inacces- 
sible crag,  and  the  green  mosses  and  vegetation  in  the  low 
grounds  that  look  so  enchanting,  impenetrable  forest  belts." 
He  once  penetrated  into  one  of  these  great  forests  and 
was  so  overwhelmed  by  the  majesty  and  solemn  stillness 
of  the  scene,  that  he  forgot  where  he  was,  and  his  imagina- 
tion went  back  to  the  primeval  days  when  that  great,  still 
forest  was  sown,  till  the  silent  trees  seemed  monuments  of 
past  history.  But  still,  this  district  of  Manyema  (pro- 
nounced in  various  ways),  he  does  not  think  so  interesting 
as  that  of  Uregga.  In  speaking  of  the  Lualaba,  after 
describing  the  various  ways  in  which  it  is  spelled  and  pro- 
nounced, he  says  if  he  could  have  it  his  own  way  he  would 
call  it  "  Livingstone  Eiver,  or  Livingstone's  Lualaba,"  to 


496      THE  HOERORS  OF  THE  SLAVE  TRADE. 

commemorate  his  discovery  of  it  and  his  heroic  struggles 
against  adversity  to  explore  it.  The  letter  in  which  he 
thus  speaks  of  this  region  is  dated  November  1st,  1876. 
In  three  days  he  says  he  is  going  to  explore  this  mysteri- 
ous river  to  the  utmost  of  his  power.  Two  days  previous 
to  this  letter,  he  wrote  a  long  one  on  the  horrors  of  the 
slave  trade  that  casts  a  pall  as  black  as  midnight  over  all  this 
tropical  beauty.  He  says,  that  from  Unyanyembe  to  Ujiji 
one  sees  horrors  enough,  but  in  this  region  they  are  mul- 
tiplied tenfold.  The  traffic  in  slaves  is  so  profitable  and 
keeps  up  such  a  brisk  trade  with  Zanzibar  and  the  interior 
of  Africa,  that  the  native  chiefs  enter  into  it  on  the  grand- 
est scale,  or  rather  it  is  more  accurate  to  say  banditti  under 
the  leadership  of  so-called  chiefs. 

Raids  are  made  on  small  independent  villages,  the  adults 
slain  and  hung  up  to  terrify  other  villages  into  a  meek  ac- 
quiesence  to  their  demands,  and  j\)ung  men,  young  women 
and  children  are  marched  off  to  Ujiji,  from  whence  they  are 
taken  to  Zanzibar,  becoming,  by  their  cruel  treatment  on  the 
route,  living  skeletons,  before  they  reach  their  destination. 
Gangs,  from  one  hundred  to  eight  hundred,  of  naked,  half- 
starved  creatures,  Stanley  met  in  his  travels,  and  he  won- 
ders that  the  civilized  world  will  let  insignificant  Zanzibar 
become  the  mart  of  such  an  accursed,  cruel  traffic. 

There  are  regular  hunting-grounds  for  slaves.  When 
the  business  is  dull,  the  inhabitants  are  left  to  grow  and 
thrive,  just  like  game  out  of  season  in  a  gentleman's  park; 
but  when  the  business  begins  to  look  up,  the  hunt  begins 
and  the  smiling  villages  become  arid  wastes.  The  country, 
long  before  he  reached  Nyangwe,  was  a  wilderness,  where 
a  few  years  before  dwelt  a  happy  population.  Stanley 
gives  extracts  from  his  diary,  showing  up  the  horrors  of 
this  system,  that  makes  the  heart  sicken  as  it  thinks  of 
what  is  daily  transpu'ing  in  the  heart  of  this  unknown  land. 


THE  WAY   TO   STOP   IT,  497 

Livingstone  saw  enough  wlien  he  was  here  to  awaken 
his  deepest  indignation,  but  since  that  time  the  Arabs  have 
pushed  farther  inland,  and  swept,  with  the  besom  of 
destruction,  districts  that,  in  his  time,  had  been  but 
slightly  touched. 

The  trade  in  ivory  is  but  another  name  for  trade  in 
human  beings,  and  the  only  real  commerce  this  vast,  fruit- 
ful region  has  with  Zanzibar  is  through  its  captured  in- 
habitants, while  the  slain  equal  the  number  of  those  sent 
into  captivity.  But,  while  Mr.  Stanley  feels  keenly  the 
disgrace  to  humanity  of  this  accursed  traffic,  he  evidently 
does  not  see  so  clearly  the  way  to  put  a  stop  to  it.  Op- 
posed to  filibustering  of  all  kinds  and  the  interference  of 
strong  powers  to  coerce  weak  ones,  on  the  ground  of 
humanity  or  Christianity,  because  it  opens  the  door  too 
wide  to  every  kind  of  aggression ;  in  fact,  makes  it  only 
necessary  to  use  some  philanthropic  catch-word  to  make  the 
annexation  of  any  feeble  territory  right ;  yet  he  evidently 
thinks  there  is  some  limit  to  the  Monroe  doctrine  of  non- 
interference in  the  afiairs  of  other  nations,  by  the  following 
extract  from  one  of  his  letters,  in  which,  after  discussing 
the  whole  matter  carefully,  he  says  he  writes  it  "  hoping 
he  may  cause  many  to  reflect  upon  the  fact  that  there 
exists  one  little  State  on  this  globe,  which  is  about  equal 
in  extent  to  one  English  county,  with  the  sole  privilege  of 
enriching  itself  by  wholesale  murder,  and  piracy  and  com- 
merce in  human  beings,  and  that  a  traffic  forbidden  in  all 
other  nations  should  be  permitted,  furtively  monopolized 
by  the  little  island  of  Zanzibar,  and  by  such  insignificant 
people  as  the  subjects  of  Prince  Burghosh."  Mr.  Stanley 
is  entirely  opposed  to  filibustering  and  encroachments  of 
strong  powers  on  feeble  ones,  under  the  thousand  and  one 
false  pretences  advanced  in  support  of  unrighteous  con- 
quests, yet  he  evidently  thinks  little  Zanzibar  should  be 


408  SCENES   IN   THE   SLAVE-MAEKET. 

wiped  out,  or  cease  to  be  the  source  and  centre  of  this  cruel 
traffic  in  human  beings.  One  has  to  travel,  he  says,  in  the 
heart  of  Africa  to  see  all  the  horrors  of  this  traffic. 

The  buying  and  selling  of  a  few  slaves  on  the  coast  gives 
no  idea  of  its  horrors.  At  Unyambembe,  sometimes  a  sad 
sight  is  seen.  At  Uganda  the  trade  begins  to  assume  a 
wholesale  character,  yet  it  wears  here  a  rather  business  as- 
pect ;  the  slaves  by  this  time  become  hardened  to  suffering, 
"  they  have  no  more  tears  to  shed,"  the  chords  of  sympathy 
have  been  severed  and  they  seem  stolid  and  indifferent.  At 
Ujiji,  one  sees  a  regular  slave-market  established.  There 
are  "  slave-folds  and  pens,"  like  the  stock-yards  of  railroads 
for  cattle,  into  which  the  naked  wretches  are  driven  by 
hundreds,  to  wallow  on  the  ground  and  half-starved  on  food 
not  fit  for  hogs.  By  the  time  they  reach  here  they  are 
mere  "ebony  skeletons,"  attenuated,  haggard,  gaunt  human 
frames.  Their  very  voices  have  sunk  to  a  mere  hoarse 
whisper,  which  comes  with  an  unearthly  sound  from  out 
their  parched,  withered  lips.  Low  moans,  like  those  that 
escape  from  the  dying,  fill  the  air,  and  they  reel  and  stag- 
ger when  they  attempt  to  stand  upright,  so  wasted  are  they 
by  the  havoc  of  hunger.  They  look  like  a  vast  herd  of 
black  skeletons,  and  as  one  looks  at  them  in  their  horrible 
sufferings  he  cannot  but  exclaim,  "  how  can  an  all-merciful 
Father  permit  such  things  ?"  No  matter  whether  on  the 
slow  and  famishing  march  or  crowded  like  starved  pigs  in  the 
overloaded  canoes,  it  is  the  same  unvarying  scene  of  hun- 
ger and  horror,  on  which  the  cruel  slave-trader  looks  with- 
out remorse  or  pity.  It  may  be  asked  how  are  these  slaves 
obtained.  The  answer  is,  by  a  systematic  war  waged  in 
the  populous  country  of  Marungu  by  banditti,  supported 
by  Arabs.  These  pay  guns  and  powder  for  the  slaves  the 
former  capture,  which  enables  them  to  keep  up  the  war. 
These  Arabs,  who  sell  the  slaves  on  the  coast,  furnish  the 


HOW   SLAVES   ARE   OBTAINED.  499 

only  market  for  the  native  banditti  of  the  interior.  These 
latter  are  mostly  natives  of  Unyamwege  who  band  together 
to  capture  all  the  inhabitants  of  villages  too  weak  to  resist 
them.  Marungu  is  the  great  productive  field  of  their  Sa- 
tanic labors.  Here  almost  every  small  village  is  independ- 
ent, recognizing  no  ruler  but  its  own  petty  chief.  These 
are  often  at  variance  with  each  other,  and  instead  of  band- 
ing together  to  resist  a  common  foe,  look  on  quietly  while 
one  after  another  is  swept  by  the  raiders.  In  crossing  a 
river,  Stanley  met  two  hundred  of  these  wretches  chained 
together,  and,  on  inquiry,  found  they  belonged  to  the  gov- 
ernor of  Unyambembe,  a  former  chaperon  of  Speke  and 
Burton,  and  had  been  captured  by  an  officer  of  the  prince 
of  Zanzibar.  This  prince  had  made  a  treaty  with  Eng- 
land to  put  a  stop  to  this  horrible  traffic,  and  yet  here  was 
one  of  his  officers  engaged  in  it,  taking  his  captives  to 
Zanzibar,  and  this  was  his  third  batch  during  the  year. 

There  are  two  or  three  entries  in  Stanley's  journal  which 
throw  much  light  on  the  way  this  hunt  for  slaves  is  carried 
on. 

"October  17th.  Arabs  organized  to-day  from  three  dis- 
tricts to  avenge  the  murder  and  eating  of  one  man  and  ten 
women  by  a  tribe  half  way  between  Kassessa  and  Nyangwe. 
After  six  days'  slaughter,  the  Arabs  returned  with  three 
hundred  slaves,  fifteen  hundred  goats,  besides  spears,  etc." 

"  October  24th.  The  natives  of  Kabonga,  near  Nyangwe, 
were  sorely  troubled  two  or  three  days  ago  by  a  visit  paid 
them  by  Uanaamwee  in  the  employ  of  Mohommed  el  Said. 
Their  insolence  was  so  intolerable  that  the  natives  at  last 
said  '  we  will  stand  this  no  longer.  They  will  force  our 
wives  and  daughters  before  our  eye  if  we  hesitate  any 
longer  to  kill  them,  and  before  the  Arabs  come  we  will  be 
off.'  Unfortunately,  only  one  was  killed,  the  others  took 
fright  and  disappeared  to  arouse  the  Arabs  with  a  new 


500  DEPOPULATING    THE   COTJNTEY. 

grievance.  To-day,  an  Arab  chief  set  out  for  the  scene  of 
action  with  murderous  celerity,  and  besides  capturing  ten 
slaves,  killed  thirty  natives  and  set  fire  to  eight  villages — 
*  a  small  prize,'  the  Arabs  said." 

"October  17th.  The  same  man  made  an  attack  on  some 
fishermen  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Lualaba.  He  left  at 
night  and  returned  at  noon  with  fifty  or  sixty  captives, 
besides  some  children." 

"Are  these  kind  of  wars  frequent  ?"  asked  Stanley. 

"  Frequent !"  was  the  reply,  "sometimes  six  or  ten  times 
a  month." 

One  of  these  captives  said  to  Stanley,  on  the  march  from 
Mana  to  Manibo,  "Master,  all  the  plain  lying  between 
Mana,  Manibo  and  Nyangwe  when  I  first  came  here  eight 
years  ago,  was  populated  so  thickly  that  we  traveled 
through  gardens,  villages  and  fields  every  quarter  of  an 
hour.  There  were  flocks  of  goats  and  black  pigs  around 
every  village.  You  can  see  what  it  now  is."  He  saw  that 
it  was  an  uninhabited  wilderness.  At  that  time,  Living- 
stone saw  how  the  country  was  becoming  depopulated 
before  the  slave-traders,  but  says  Stanley,  "Were  it  possi- 
ble for  him  to  rise  from  the  dead  and  take  a  glance  at  the 
districts  now  depopulated,  it  is  probable  that  he  would  be 
more  than  ever  filled  with  sorrow  at  the  misdoings  of  these 
traders." 

He  thinks  there  is  but  one  way  of  putting  a  perpetual 
end  to  this  infernal  trafiic,  and  that  is  by  stopping  it  in 
the  interior.  English  and  American  cruisers  on  the  coast 
can  have  'but  partial  success.  The  course  of  the  khedive 
of  Egypt,  as  described  in  the  article  in  Baker's  expedition, 
is  the  true  one.  Annex  the  interior  of  Africa  to  some 
strong  power  and  establish  stations  on  the  great  highways 
over  which  these  traders  are  compelled  to  transport  their 
human  chattels,  where  they  will  be  pounced  upon  and 


DEPOPULATING  THE  COUNTRY.  501 

made  to  give  up  their  captives,  and  the  trade  will  soon 
cease  from  its  being  too  hazardous  and  unprofitable. 

Portugal  has  no  right  to  the  west  coast  which  it  claims. 
Let  England,  or  it  and  America  together,  claim  and  exercise 
sovereignty  over  it  and  it  will  need  no  cruisers  on  the  coast 
to  stop  the  trade  in  slaves.  At  any  rate,  it  is  high  time  the 
Christian  nations  of  the  world  put  a  stop  to  this  disgrace 
to  humanity. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

8TAKLEY  MEETS  TIPO-TIPO,  THE  FEIEXD  OF  CAMEEOK— LEAENS  ALL  ABOUT  CAMERON'S  MOVE- 
MENTS—STANLEY WARNED  NOT  TO  GO  ON — FEARFUL  STORIES — CONTRACTS  WITH  TIPO-TIPO  TO 
ESCORT  HIM  SIXTY  CRIMPS— SELF-RELIANCE  OF  STANLEY— WOMEN  AN  OBSTACLE  IN  THE  WAY  OF 
ADVANCING — NYANGWE— ITS  MARKET— A  LIVELY  SCENE— THE  TWO  CHIEFS— A  LARGE  HAEEM 
—THE  ORIGINAL  INHABITANTS— STRENGTH  OF  THE  EXPEDITION. 

ARRIVING  near  Nyangwe,  one  of  the  first  to  meet 
him  was  the  Arab,  Tij)o-tipo,  or  Tipo-tib,  or  Tippu- 
tib  (which  is  the  proper  spelling,  neither  Cameron  or  Stan- 
ley seems  to  know),  who  had  conducted  Cameron  as  far  as 
Utotera  or  the  Kasongo  country,  as  described  in  the  ac- 
count of  that  traveler's  journey.  He  was  a  splendid  speci- 
men of  a  man  physically,  and  just  the  one  to  give  Stanley 
all  the  information  he  wanted  respecting  Cameron's  move- 
ments. He  told  him  that  the  latter  wanted  to  follow  the 
river  to  the  sea,  but  that  his  men  were  unwilling  to  go ; 
besides,  no  canoes  could  be  obtained  for  the  purpose.  He 
also  told  him  that,  after  staying  a  long  time  at  Kasongo, 
he  had  joined  a  company  of  Portuguese  traders  and  pro- 
ceeded south. 

One  thing  was  clear ;  Cameron  had  not  settled  the  great 
problem  that  Livingstone  wished  of  all  things  to  solve — 
this  great  unfinished  work  of  his  had  been  left  for  him  to 
complete,  or  leave  it  to  some  future,  more  daring  or  more 
successful  explorer.  Could  he  get  canoes — could  he  sur- 
mount difficulties  that  neither  Livingstone  nor  Cameron 
were  able  to  overcome  ?  were  the  grave  questions  he  asked 
himself.  He  had  long  dialogues  with  Tipo-tipo  and  other 
Arab  chiefs,  all  of  whom  dissuaded  him  from  attempting 

502 


CHIEFS  HOME  AT  NYANGWH 


NYANGW£ 


A   FASCINATING   POSSIBILITY.  505 

to  follow  the  Lualaba  by  land,  or  trying  to  get  canoes. 
They  told  him  frightful  stories  of  the  cannibals  below — of 
dwarfs  striped  like  zebras  and  ferocious  as  demons,  with 
poisoned  arrows,  living  on  the  backs  of  elephants,  of 
anacondas,  of  impenetrable  forests — in  short,  conjured  up 
a  country  and  people  that  no  stranger  who  placed  any 
value  on  his  life  would  ever  encounter. 

From  the  fact  that  the  Lualaba  flowed  north  to  a  dis- 
tance beyond  the  knowledge  of  the  natives,  was  doubtless 
one,  and  perhaps  the  chief,  reason  why  Livingstone  sus- 
pected it  emptied  into  the  Nile.  Stanley  now  knew  better. 
How  far  north  it  might  flow  before  it  turned  he  could  not  say, 
yet  he  felt  certain  that  turn  west  it  would,  sooner  or  later, 
and  empty  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean — and  the  possibility  of 
his  tracing  it,  had  a  powerful  fascination  for  him.  Its  course, 
he  knew,  lay  through  the  largest  half  of  Africa,  which  was  a 
total  blank.  Here,  by  the  way,  it  is  rather  singular  that 
Stanley,  following  Livingstone,  who  alone  had  explored 
Lake  Benibe,  and  made  it  the  source  of  the  Lualaba,  adopts 
his  statement,  while  Cameron,  on  mere  hearsay,  should 
assert  that  its  source  was  in  marshes.  The  river,  after 
leaving  the  lake,  flows  two  hundred  miles  and  empties  into 
Lake  Mweru,  a  body  of  water  containing  about  one  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  square  miles ;  issuing  from  which,  it 
takes  the  name  of  Lualaba,  which  it  holds  and  loses  by 
turns  as  it  moves  on  its  mighty  course  for  one  thousand 
one  hundred  miles,  till  it  rolls,  ten  miles  wide  at  its  mouth, 
into  the  broad  Atlantic  as  the  Congo. 

Stanley,  from  first  to  last,  seemed  to  have  a  wonderful 
power  not  only  over  the  Arabs  that  composed  his  expe- 
dition, as  we  have  before  mentioned,  but  over  all  those 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  in  his  explorations.  Not- 
withstanding all  the  horrors  depicted  as  awaiting  any 
attempt  to    advance    beyond    Nyangwe,  this   Tipo-tipo 


506  CONTRACT   WITH    TIPO-TIPO. 

agreed,  for  $5,000,  to  accompany  him  with  a  strong  escort 
a  distance  of  sixty  camps,  on  certain  conditions.  That  he 
would  do  it  on  any  conditions  was  extraordinary,  con- 
sidering the  fact,  if  it  was  a  fact,  that  the  last  attempt  to 
penetrate  this  hostile  territory  resulted  in  the  loss  of  five 
hundred  men.  The  conditions  were,  that  the  march 
should  commence  from  Nyangwe — not  occupy  more  than 
three  months — and  that  if  Stanley  should  finally  conclude, 
at  the  end  of  the  sixty  marches,  he  could  not  get  through, 
he  would  return  to  Nyangwe ;  or  if  he  met  Portuguese 
traders  and  chose  to  go  on  to  the  coast  in  the  direction 
they  were  moving,  he  should  detail  two-thirds  of  his  force 
to  accompany  said  Tipo  back  to  Nyangwe  for  his  pro- 
tection. 

To  all  these  Stanley  agreed,  except  the  one  promising,  if 
he  concluded  to  go  on  at  the  end  of  the  sixty  marches,  to 
give  him  two-thirds  of  the  men  of  the  expedition  to  see 
him  safely  back.  On  this  article  of  agreement  there  was 
a  hitch,  and  Stanley  showed  his  Yankee  education,  if  not 
Yankee  birth,  by  putting  in  a  last  article,  by  which  if  Tipo- 
tipo,  through  cowardice,  should  fail  to  complete  his  sixty 
marches,  he  should  forfeit  his  $5,000,  and  have  no  escort 
for  his  return,  and  then  gave  him  time  to  think  of  it  while 
he  went  to  see  young  Pocoke  and  confer  with  him.  They 
went  over  the  whole  ground  together,  and  Stanley  told  him 
it  was  a  matter  of  life  and  death  with  both  of  them ;  failure 
was  certain,  and  perhaps  a  horrible,  death;  success  was 
honor  and  glory.  It  was  a  fearful  picture  he  drew  of  the 
possible  future,  but  Frank's  ready  response  was,  "go  on." 

At  this  point  Stanley  reveals  one  of  his  strongest  char- 
acteristics, which  we  mentioned  in  the  sketch  of  him  at 
the  beginning  of  the  book — the  Napoleonic  quality  of  re- 
lying on  himself.  Ordinary  well-established  principles  and 
rules  often  condemned  the  action  of  Bonaparte — results  ap- 


OBSTACLES   TO    BE   OVERCOME.  507 

proved  them.  So  ordinary  prudence  would  have  turned 
Stanley  back  as  it  did  Cameron — the  stories  told  him  of 
the  character  of  the  tribes  in  advance — the  obstacles  he 
would  have  to  encounter,  all  the  mystery,  perils  and  un- 
certainty of  the  future-^!^the  universal  warning  and  fearful 
prognostications  of  those  who  were  supposed  to  know  best 
— his  isolated  condition  in  the  heart  of  Africa,  every- 
thing that  can  surround  a  man  to  influence  him  in  his  ac- 
tions, were  gathered  there  around  that  lonely  man  at  that 
outpost  of  civilized  enterprise ;  yet,  falling  back  on  himself, 
rising  superior  to  all  outward  influences,  gauging  all  the 
probabilities  and  possibilities  by  his  own  clear  perceptions 
and  indomitable  will,  he  determined  to  push  forward. 
If  he  could  not  get  canoes,  which  he  was  quite  sure  he  could 
not  any  more  than  Cameron,  then  he  would  try  to  follow 
the  river  by  land;  if  that  failed,  he  would  make  canoes  in 
the  African  forest ;  if  he  could  not  go  peaceably,  he  would 
fight  his  way,  and  not  turn  back  till  deserted  by  his  own 
men,  and  was  left  alone  in  the  midst  of  a  savage,  hostile 
people.  This  determination,  under  the  circumstances,  show 
him  to  be  a  character  of  no  ordinary  stamp,  and  mark  him, 
as  we  said,  as  one  who,  in  a  revolution,  would  control  the 
stormy  elements  around  him,  and  mount  to  power  or  to 
the  scaffold. 

There  were  also  minor  obstacles  attending  this  desperate 
effort  to  trace  the  Lualaba  to  the  sea.  He  had  thirteen 
women  in  his  expedition,  wives  of  his  chief  Arabs,  some 
of  them  with  young  children,  others  in  various  stages  of 
pregnancy,  who  would  be  delivered  of  children  before  they 
reached  the  Atlantic  coast,  and  under  what  circumstances 
the  hour  of  travail  might  come,  no  one  knew.  It  might 
be  in  the  hour  of  battle,  or  in  the  desperate  race  for  life, 
when  one  hour's  delay  would  be  total  ruin  to  the  expedition, 
and  death  to  all.     It  might  be  in  the  struggle  and  fight 


508  AN   AFKICAN   MARKET. 

around  a  cataract,  or  in  the  day  of  extreme  famine.  A 
thousand  things  had  to  be  taken  into  consideration  before 
resolving  on  this  desperate  movement.  But  no  matter,  the 
obstacles  might  even  be  more  formidable  than  represented, 
the  risk  tenfold  greater,  his  mind  was  made  up — the  secrets 
of  tliat  mysterious  river  lie  would  unlock,  or  his  last  strug- 
gles and  mysterious  fate  add  one  more  to  the  secrets  it 
held. 

At  length  the  contract  with  Tipo-tipo  to  escort  him 
sixty  marches  was  made  and  signed,  and  then  Stanley 
informed  his  own  men  of  it,  and  told  them  that  if  at  the 
end  of  that  time  they  came  across  a  caravan  bound  for  the 
west  coast,  part  would  join  it,  and  the  rest  might,  if  they 
wished,  return  to  Nyangwe.  They  agreed  to  stand  by  the 
contract,  and  Stanley  moved  forward  into  Nyangwe,  and 
was  received  by  one  of  the  two  Arab  chiefs,  that  bear 
sway  in  the  jDlace,  with  becoming  courtesy,  who  seemed 
surprised  at  the  orderly,  quiet  march  of  his  force,  and  still 
more  when  told  that  the  distance  from  Tanganika,  some 
three  hundred  and  forty  miles,  had  been  made  in  about 
forty  days. 

Stanley  describes  minutely  the  place  and  its  political 
management,  but  seems,  like  Livingstone  and  Cameron,  to 
be  particulary  struck  with  its  market.  This  is  held  every  • 
fourth  day,  and  from  one  to  three  thousand  people 
assemble  to  trade ;  most  of  the  vendors  are  women,  and 
the  animated  manner  in  which  trade  is  carried  on  amused 
Livingstone  exceedingly.  Though  he  could  not  under- 
stand their  language,  he  could  their  gestures,  which  were 
quite  as  expressive.  This  pleasant  scene,  however,  was 
marred  one  day  by  a  messenger  stalking  into  the  market 
with  ten  jaw-bones  of  men  tied  to  a  string  and  hanging  over 
his  shoulder,  which  he  boasted  of  having  killed  and  eaten, 
and  described  with  his  knife  how  he  had  cut  them  up. 


A    PERFECT   BABEL.  509 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  market-day  the  river,  as 
far  as  its  course  can  be  seen,  presents  a  lively  appearance, 
for  it  is  covered  with  canoes,  loaded  to  their  gunwales  with 
natives  and  articles  for  the  market  piled  on  top  of  each 
other,  as  they  all  press  toward  one  point.  Amid  the 
laughter  and  jargon  of  the  natives,  may  be  heard  the 
crowing  of  cocks,  and  squealing  of  pigs,  and  bleating  of 
goats.  Having  reached  the  landing-place  the  men  quietly 
shoulder  their  paddles  and  walk  up  the  bank,  leaving  the 
women  to  carry  the  articles  up  to  the  market-place. 
These  are  placed  in  a  large  basket  and  slung  on  their 
backs  by  a  strap  across  their  forehead.  When  this  great 
crowd  of  two  or  three  thousand  are  assembled  the  babel 
begins.  But  the  talking  and  chaffering  are  done  by  the 
women ;  the  men  move  about  paying  but  little  attention  to 
the  bartering,  unless  something  important,  as  the  sale  of  a 
slave,  is  going  on.  The  women  do  not  walk  about,  but 
having  selected  a  spot  where  they  propose  to  do  business, 
they  let  down  the  basket,  and  spreading  the  articles  on  the 
ground  so  as  to  appear  to  the  best  advantage,  they  squat 
themselves  in  the  basket,  where  they  look  like  some  huge 
shell  fish. 

The  vendors  being  thus  stationary,  the  buyers  also 
become  so,  and  hence  it  is  always  a  close,  jammed  mass  of 
human  beings,  screaming,  sweating  and  sending  forth  no 
pleasant  odor  for  three  or  four  hours.  They  do  not  break 
up  gradually,  but  on  the  movement  of  some  person  a 
general  scramble  will  commence,  and  in  twenty  minutes 
the  whole  two  thousand  or  more  be  scattered  in  every 
direction.  The  markets  of  this  region  are  held  on  neutral 
ground  by  the  various  tribes,  and  their  feuds  are  laid  aside 
for  that  day.  Except  at  Nyangwe,  uninhabited  spots  are 
selected.  The  neighboring  chiefs  are  always  present,  and 
can  be  seen  lounging  lazily  about.     Stanley  counted  fifty- 


510  KIVAL    CHIEFS. 

seven  different  articles  for  sale,  ranging  from  sweet  potatoes 
to  beautiful  girls,  while  the  currency  was  shells,  beads, 
copper  and  brass  wire  and  palm  cloth. 

There  are  two  foreign  chiefs  at  the  place,  who  are  very 
jealous  of  each  other,  as  they  each  wish  to  be  regarded  by 
the  natives  as  the  most  powerful.  Sheikh  Abed,  a  tall, 
thin  old  man  with  a  white  beard,  occupies  the  southern 
section  of  the  town,  and  Muini  Dugumbi  the  other.  .It 
has  not  been  long  an  Arab  trading  post,  for  Dugumbi  is 
the  first  Arab  that  came  here,  and  that  was  no  later  than 
1868,  and  pitched  his  quarters,  and  now  the  huts  of  his 
friends,  with  their  families  and  slaves,  number  some  three 
hundred.  He  is  an  Arab  trader  from  the  east  coast,  and  soon 
after  his  arrival  established  a  harem,  composed  of  more  than 
three  hundred  slave  women.  Though  a  rollicking,  joking 
man  himself,  his  followers  are  a  reckless,  freebooting  set. 
The  original  inhabitants  of  Nyangwe  were  driven  out  by 
Muini  Dugumbi,  and  now  occupy  portions  of  both  sides  of 
the  river,  and  live  by  fishing,  and  are  said  to  be  a  singular 
tribe.  Stanley  estimated  there  must  have  been  forty-two 
thousand  of  them  in  the  region  previous  to  the  coming  of 
this  Arab  chief,  who  spread  desolation  on  every  side,  of 
which  there  remain  to-day  only  twenty  thousand. 

Stanley  remained  here  only  about  a  week,  for  Tipo-tipo 
arriving  on  the  2d  of  November,  he  prepared  to  start  on 
his  unknown  journey.  The  expedition,  when  he  mustered 
it  on  the  morning  of  the  4th,  numbered  one  hundred  and 
seventy-six,  armed  with  sixty-three  muskets  and  rifles,  two 
double-barreled  guns  and  ten  revolvers.  Besides  these, 
there  were  sixty-eight  axes,  that  Stanley,  with  great  fore- 
thought, purchased,  thinking  the  time  might  come  when  he 
would  need  them  as  much  as  his  guns.  Tipo-tipo  brought 
with  him  seven  hundred  followers,  though  only  four  hun- 
dred were  to  accompany  the  expedition  the  sixty  marches. 


AN  IMPOSING  DISPLAY.  511 

Together,  they  made  quite  a  little  army,  but  many  of  them 
were  women  and  children,  who  always  accompany  the 
Arabs  in  their  marches  or  forays ;  still,  the  force,  all  drawn 
up,  presented  an  imposing  display.  A  hundred  of  these 
were  armed  with  flint-lock  muskets,  the  rest  with  spears 
and  shields. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

THE  GREAT  MARCH  BEGINS— GLOOMY  PROSPECTS— MARCH  THROUGH  A  DENSE  FOREST— AXES  USED 
TO  CLEAR  THE  WAY— A  VILLAGE  IN  THE  FOREST— SUPERIORITY  OF  THE  INHABITANTS— THE 
MEN  DISHEARTENED— SLOW  MARCHING — DISCONTENT— DIFFICULTIES  INCREASE— TIPO-TIPO 
WISHES  TO  BE  RELEASED  FROM  HIS  ENGAGEMENT— PEOPLE  THAT  SMELT  IRON-ORE— A  ROW  OF 
SKULLS  AS  AN  ORNAMENT  FOR  THE  VILLAGE— HUNTtNG  SOKOS— THE  CANNIBALS— NAKED 
WOMEN— THE  LUALABA  REACHED— NOT  TO  BE  LEFT  AGAIN— THE  NATIVES  CROSSING  THE 
RIVER. 

ON  the  5th  of  November,  Stanley,  at  the  head  of  this 
motley  array,  turned  his  back  on  Nyangwe  and  his  face 
to  the  wilderness.  It  was  an  eventful  morning  for  him. 
Eighteen  hundred  miles  of  an  unknown  country  stretched 
before  him,  wrapped  in  profound  mystery,  and  peopled  with 
races  of  which  the  outside  world  had  never  heard,  and  filled 
with  dangers  that  would  ajDpall  the  bravest  heart.  He  felt, 
as  he  turned  and  gave  a  last  look  at  Nyangwe,  that  the  die 
was  cast — his  fate  for  good  or  ill  sealed.  What  sad  mis- 
givings must  at  times  have  made  a  feeling  of  faintness 
creep  over  his  heart — what  terrible  responsibilities  crowded 
upon  him ;  aye,  what  gloomy  forebodings,  in  spite  of  his 
courage,  would  weigh  down  his  spirit.  If  he  had  canoes, 
the  starting  would  have  been  more  cheerful,  but  the  dense 
and  tangled  forest,  whose  dark  line  could  be  traced  against 
the  sky,  wore  a  forbidding  aspect.  They  marched  but 
nine  miles  the  first  day,  and  though  the  country  was  open, 
the  manner  in  which  the  men  bore  it,  did  not  promise  well 
for  their  endurance  when  they  should  enter  the  jungle. 
Every  pound  was  carried  on  men's  shoulders,  besides  their 
weapons,  all  the  provisions,  stores  of  cloth,  and  beads, 
and  wire,  the  arms  and  ammunition,  of  which  there  had  to 

512 


A   GLOOMY   OUTLOOK.  513 

be  a  large  quantity,  (for  tliey  might  be  two  years  fighting 
their  way  across  the  continent,)  and  the  boat  in  sections. 
The  next  morning,  Tipo-tipo's  hetrogeneous  crowd  started 
first,  which  impeded  the  march  by  its  frequent  halts,  for 
the  women  and  children  had  to  be  cared  for.  They  soon 
entered  the  gloomy  forest  of  Mitamba,  when  the  marching 
became  more  difficult,  and  the  halts  more  frequent,  while 
the  dew  fell  from  the  trees  in  great  rain-drops,  wetting  the 
narrow  path  they  were  folloAving,  till  it  became  a  thick 
mud.  The  heavy  foliage  shut  out  the  sky,  and  the  disor- 
dered caravan  marched  on  in  gloomy  twilight,  and  at  last, 
drenched  to  the  skin,  reached  a  village  four  miles  from 
camp,  and  waited  for  the  carriers  of  the  boat  to  arrive. 
These  found  the  boat  a  heavy  burden,  for  the  foliage  grew 
so  thick  and  low  over  the  path,  that  the  sections  had  to  be 
pushed  by  sheer  force  through  it.  To  make  the  camp  this 
night  more  gloomy,  one  of  the  Arab  chiefs  who  had  been 
in  the  forest  before,  said,  with  great  complacency,  that  what 
they  had  endured  was  nothing  to  that  which  was  before 
them.  The  next  day  the  path  was  so  overgrown  and  ob- 
structed by  fallen  trees,  that  axemen  had  to  go  before  the 
carriers  of  the  boat  to  clear  the  way  for  them.  On  the 
10th,  having  reached  Uregga,  a  village  in  the  very  heart 
of  the  forest,  they  halted  for  a  rest.  The  isolated  inhab- 
itants seemed  to  be  in  advance  of  those  whom  Stanley  had 
seen.  The  houses  were  built  in  blocks,  and  were  square 
like  those  of  Manyema,  and  contained  various  fancy  arti- 
cles, some  of  them  displaying  a  great  taste,  and  he  saw 
curiously  carved  bits  of  wood,  and  handsome  spoons,  and 
for  the  first  time  in  Africa,  beheld  a  cane  settee. 

The  men  carrying  the  boat  did  not  come  up  for  two 
days,  and  then  quite  broken  and  disheartened.  Indeed, 
here  almost  at  the  very  outset,  everything  seemed  to  point 
to  an  early  dissolution  of  the  expedition.     Kot  only  were 


514  DANGEKS   AND    DISCONTENT. 

his  men  discontented,  but  Tipo-tipo,  with  all  his  elegance 
of  manner  and  pompous  pretence,  began  to  glower  and 
grumble,  not  merely  at  the  hardships  his  people  were  com- 
pelled to  encounter,  but  because  sickness  had  broke  out  in 
his  camp. 

On  the  13th,  the  three  hundred  out  of  the  seven  hundred 
of  his  men  branched  off  on  their  expedition.  The  march- 
ing now  became  not  only  monotonous  but  extremely  pain- 
ful, and  so  slow  that  it  took  a  whole  day's  march  to  make 
a  distance  of  nine  miles — a  rate  of  progress  that  Stanley 
saw  very  clearly  would  never  bring  him  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  They  had  now  been  seven  days  on  the  march  and 
had  made  but  about  forty  miles,  and  scarcely  one  mile  west. 
Thus  far  their  course  had  been  almost  due  north  toward 
the  great  desert  of  Sahara,  and  not  toward  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  These  five  days  had  been  utterly  thrown  away  as 
far  as  progress  in  the  right  direction  was  concerned ;  not 
an  inch  had  been  gained,  and  the  whole  expedition  was 
discouraged.  The  carriers  of  the  boat  begged  Stanley  to 
throw  it  away  or  go  back  to  Nyangwe,  while  the  Arab 
chiefs  made  no  attempt  to  conceal  their  discontent,  but 
openly  gave  vent  to  their  disinclination  to  proceed  any 
farther.  Even  the  splendid  barbarian  dandy,  Tipo-tipo, 
who  prided  himself  on  his  superiority  to  all  other  Arabs, 
began  to  look  moody ;  while  the  increasing  sickness  in  the 
camp  cast  additional  gloom  over  it.  Huge  serpents  crossed 
their  path,  while  all  sorts  of  wild  beasts  and  vermin  peopled 
the  dense  forest  and  swarmed  around  them. 

On  the  15th,  they  made  but  six  miles  and  a  half  and 
yet,  short  as  was  the  distance,  it  took  the  men  carrying  the 
boat  twenty-four  hours  to  make  it,  and  all  were  so  weary 
that  a  halt  of  an  entire  day  was  ordered,  to  let  them  rest. 
Added  to  all  this,  the  forest  became  ten  times  more  matted 
,  than  before.    Both  the  heavier  timber  and  the  undergrowth 


STANLEY    DETERMINED.  515 

grew  thicker  and  thicker,  shutting  out  not  only  the  light 
of  the  sun,  but  every  particle  of  moving  air,  so  that  the 
atmosphere  became  suffocating  and  stifling.  Panting  for 
breath,  the  little  army  crawled  and  wormed  itself  through 
the  interlacing  branches,  and  when  night  came  down  were 
utterly  disheartened.  Even  the  elegant  Tipo-tipo  now 
gave  out,  and  came  to  Stanley  to  be  released  from  his 
engagement.  It  was  in  vain  that  the  latter  appealed  to 
his  honor,  his  pride  and  fear  of  ridicule  should  he  now 
turn  back  to  Nyangwe.  But  to  everything  he  could  urge, 
the  very  sensible  answer  was  returned :  "  If  there  is  nothing 
worse  than  this  before  us,  it  will  yet  take  us,  at  the  rate  we 
are  going,  a  year  to  make  the  sixty  marches  and  as  long  a 
time  to  return.  You  are  only  killing  everybody  by  your 
obstinacy ;  such  a  country  was  never  made  for  decent  men 
to  travel  in,  it  was  made  for  pagans  and  monkeys." 

It  is  in  such  circumstances  like  these  that  those  quali- 
ties which  have  made  Stanley  the  most  successful  explorer 
of  modern  times,  exhibit  themselves.  Napoleon  said, 
when  speaking  of  troops,  "Even  brave  soldiers  have 
their  *  moment  de  peur,^ "  the  time  when  he  shrinks. 
But  this  man  seems  an  exception  to  this  rule.  To  him 
the  moment  of  fear  never  seems  to  come,  for  he  never 
feels  the  contagion  of  example.  He  adheres  to  his 
resolution  to  go  on  if  but  a  handful  will  stand  by  him. 
He  seems  imperious  to  the  contagion  that  seizes  others,  and 
a  panic  in  battle  would  sweep  by  him  unmoved.  After 
talking  to  Tipo-tipo  for  two  hours,  he  finally  got  him  to 
agree  to  accompany  him  twenty  marches  farther. 

There  were  two  things  in  this  village,  shut  up  in  the 
heart  of  the  forest,  that  impressed  Stanley  much.  He 
found  here  a  primitive  forge,  in  which  the  natives  smelted 
iron-ore,  found  in  the  neighborhood,  and  a  smithy,  in 
V^hich  the  iron  was  worked  up  into  instruments  of  all 


516  SOKO  SKULLS. 

kinds,  from  a  small  knife  to  a  cleaver ;  hatchets,  hammers, 
even  wire  and  ornaments  for  the  arms  and  legs  were  made. 
How  this  rude  people,  to  whom  even  an  Arab  trader  had 
never  come,  should  have  discovered  the  properties  of  iron- 
ore,  how  to  disengage  the  iron  and  then  work  it  into  every 
variety  of  instruments,  seems  inexplicable.  The  whole 
must  have  been  the  product  of  the  brain  of  some  native 
genius. 

The  other  remarkable  thing  was  a  double  row  of  skulls, 
running  the  entire  length  of  the  village,  set  in  the  ground, 
leaving  the  naked,  round  top  glistening  in  the  sun.  There 
were  nearly  two  hundred  of  them.  Amazed,  he  asked  his 
Arabs  what  they  were,  they  replied  "  soko  skulls."  The 
soko,  Cameron  calls  a  gorilla,  and  we  have  no  doubt  many 
of  the  remarkable  stories  about  gorillas  refer  to  this  monkey. 
But  Livingstone  says  it  is  an  animal  resembling  the  gorilla, 
and  his  account  of  their  habits  shows  they  are  not  the 
fierce,  fearless  gorilla  that  is  afraid  of  neither  man  nor  beast. 
It  is  about  four  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  and  often  walks 
erect,  with  his  hands  resting  on  his  head,  as  if  to  steady  him- 
self. With  a  yellow  face,  adorned  with  ugly  whiskers,  a 
low  forehead  and  high  ears,  he  looks  as  if  he  might  be 
a  hideous  cross  between  a  man  and  a  beast.  His  teeth, 
though  dog-like  in  their  size,  still  slightly  resemble  those 
found  in  the  human  head.  The  fingers  are  almost  exactly 
like  the  natives.  He  is  cunning  and  crafty,  and  will  often 
stalk  a  man  or  woman  as  stealthily  as  a  hunter  will  a 
deer.  He  seldom  does  much  damage,  unless  driven  to  bay, 
when  it  fights  fiercely.  It  takes  great  pleasure  in  nabbing 
children  and  carrying  them  up  into  a  tree  and  holding 
them  in  his  arms,  but  if  a  bunch  of  bananas  is  thrown  on 
the  ground  he  will  descend,  and,  leaving  the  child,  seize  it. 
It  seldom  uses  its  teeth,  and  then,  if  it  is  a  man  he  is  in 
conflict  with,  will  bite  off  his  fino-ers  and  let  him  go.    They 


A    PRACTICAL   JOKE.  519 

are  hunted  and  trapped  by  the  natives  for  their  flesh,  of 
which  they  are  very  fond.  A  man  hunting  for  them  one 
day,  having  maimed  one,  in  his  attempt  to  spear  it,  the  soke 
grabbed  the  spear,  and  breaking  it,  seized  the  man.  The 
latter  calling  to  his  companion  for  help,  he  bit  off  his 
fingers  and  ran  away. 

A  native  was  hoeing  in  his  field  one  morning,  when  a 
soko,  creeping  ujd  stealthily  behind,  threw  his  arms  around 
him.  The  latter  roared  in  terror,  when  the  soko,  grinning 
and  giggling  like  a  demon,  let  go  and  ran  away,  apparently 
enjoying  the  practical  joke  hugely.  He  will  often  snatch 
up  a  child,  and  after  pinching  and  scratching  it,  let  it  go. 

Stanley,  not  satisfied  with  the  answer  of  his  men,  sent 
for  the  chief  and  asked  him  what  those  skulls  were.  He 
said  of  the  sokos,  which  they  hunt  because  of  the  destruction 
they  make  of  the  bananas,  and  that  their  meat  was  good. 
Stanley  offered  him  a  hundred  cowries  if  he  would  bring 
one  to  him  alive  or  dead.  The  chief  went  into  the  woods 
in  search  of  some,  but  at  evening  returned  without  any. 
He,  however,  gave  him  a  portion  of  the  skin  of  one. 
Stanley  had  the  curiosity  to  take  two  of  these  skulls  home 
with  him,  and  gave  them  to  Professor  Huxley  to  examine, 
who  reported  they  were  the  skulls  of  a  man  and  woman. 
The  former,  therefore,  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  they 
were  all  the  skulls  of  men  and  women  who  had  been  eaten 
by  these  cannibals.  But  we  do  not  believe  this  conclusion 
fairly  justifiable,  from  Professor  Huxley's  report  on  two 
skulls.  In  the  first  place,  the  Arabs  would  scarcely  have 
made  such  a  mistake  as  this  implies — they  had  seen  too 
many  soko  skulls.  In  the  second  place,  the  chief  corrobo- 
rated their  statement,  and  he  had  no  reason  for  telling  a 
falsehood.  If  those  skulls  were  placed  thus  prominently 
in  the  streets,  it  was  to  boast  of  them  and  not  to  lie  about. 
It  is  far  more  likely  that  there  were  a  few  human  skulls 


520  THE  LUALABA  BEACHED. 

mixed  in  with  the  sokos,  and  when  Stanley  aslced  for  a 
couple,  the  largest  and  best-shaped  were  selected  for  him, 
and  these  proved  to  belong  to  human  beings.  His  hunting 
for  one  was  certainly  not  to  prove  he  had  told  Stanley  a 
falsehood.  The  same  peculiarity  was  noticed  here  that 
Baker  mentions  of  the  natives  of  Fatiko — the  women  go 
naked,  while  the  men  are  partly  covered  with  skins.  The 
whole  apparel  of  the  women  is  an  apron  four  inches 
square. 

On  the  19th  of  March,  they  reached  the  Lualaba, 
sweeping  majestically  through  the  silent*  forest.  Stanley 
immediately  determined  there  should  be  no  more  tangled 
forests  for  him,  but  that  broad  current  of  the  river  should 
bear  him  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean  or  to  death.  The  camp 
was  prepared  and  the  breakfast  eaten,  while  Pocoke  was 
getting  the  Lady  Alice  screwed  together.  Soon  she  was 
launched  on  the  stream,  amid  the  huzzas  of  the  party. 
Although  the  river  here  was  nearly  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  wide,  and  the  opposite  shore  appeared  like  an  unin- 
habited forest,  sharp  eyes  had  detected  the  wonderful 
apparition  that  had  appeared  on  the  farther  shore,  and  the 
news  spread  so  rapidly,  that  when  Stanley  in  the  Lady 
Alice  approached  it,  he  saw  the  woods  alive  with  human 
beings,  and  several  canoes  tied  to  the  shore.  He  hailed 
them,  and  tried  to  make  a  bargain  with  them  to  transport 
his  party  across.  They  refused  point-blank,  but  after- 
wards seemed  to  relent  and  offered  to  exchange  blood- 
brotherhood  with  them,  and  appointed  a  place  on  a 
neighboring  island  where  the  ceremony  should  be  per- 
formed. It  was,  however,  discovered  that  it  was  a  trea- 
cherous plot  to  murder  them,  and,  but  for  precautions 
taken  in  view  of  its  possibility,  there  would  have  been  a 
fight. 

Stanley  now  determined  to  cross  his  men  by  detachments 


CROSSING  THE  EIVEK.  521 

in  his  own  boat.  He  took  over  thirty  above  the  village, 
and  then  told  the  natives  that  they  had  better  assist  him 
in  carrying  over  the  rest,  for  which  they  should  be  well 
paid.  They  consented,  and  the  whole  expedition  was 
safely  landed  on  the  left  bank  of  the  river. 


CHAPTER  XXXy. 

CONGO  CHANGED  TO  LIVINGSTONE— FRIGHTENED  NATIVES— THE  MARCH— DESEKTED  VILLAGES— 
THE  LAND  PARTY  LOST— STANLEY'S  ANXIETY— A  DASH  ON  THE  NATIVES,  ONE  MAN  KILLED — 
CLEDI  DISPATCHED  AFTER  THE  MISSING  PARTY— THE  LOST  FOUND— THE  MARCH— A  FLOATING 
HOSPITAL— PASSING  RAPIDS— TIPO-TIPO  WISHES  TO  TURN  BACK— A  QUEER  VILLAGE— INCREAS- 
ING SICKNESS — THE  DEAD  EVERY  DAY  THROWN  INTO  THE  RIVER— A  FIGHT — MARCHING  ON — A 
DESPERATE  FIGHT  OF  TWO  DAYS— A  SUCCESSFUL  STRATAGEM— TIPO-TIPO  RESOLVES  TO  LEAVE— 
STANLEY'S  SPEECH  TO  HIS  MEN — CHRISTMAS  DAY— A  FROLIC— A  BOAT  RACE— THE  PABTIK8 
SEPARATE- A  TOUCHING  FAREWELL— A  SAD  DAY— STANLEY  TRIES  TO  AROUSE  THE  MEN. 

HAVING  been  ferried  across  the  river  by  the  natives, 
Stanley  felt  quite  secure  of  the  friendship  of  this 
first  tribe  he  had  met  on  the  banks  of  the  Lualaba.  But 
here  he  resolved  to  change  its  name  to  Livingstone, 
vrhich  ever  after  he  continues  to  call  it.  Villages  lined 
the  banks,  all,  he  says,  adorned  with  skulls  of  human 
beings.  But  instead  of  finding  the  inhabitants  of  them 
friendly,  there  were  none  to  be  seen ;  all  had  mysteriously 
disappeared,  whether  from  fright  or  to  arouse  the  tribes 
below,  it  was  impossible  to  determine;  it  seemed  from  the 
former,  for  notwithstanding  they  had  overcome  their  first 
fear  so  much  as  to  ferry  the  expedition  across  the  river, 
they  had  not  taken  away  their  canoes,  nor  carried  with 
them  their  provisions.  Leaving  these  untouched,  as  a  sort 
of  promise  to  the  tribes  below  that  their  property  should 
be  held  sacred,  the  expedition  took  up  its  march  down  the 
river.  Stanley,  with  thirty-three  men,  went  by  water,  in 
the  Lady  Alice,  while  Tipo-tipo  and  young  Pocoke  with 
the  rest  of  the  party  marched  along  the  bank.  Village 
after  village  was  passed ;  the  natives  uttering  their  wild 
war-cry,  and  then  disappearing  in  the  forest,  leaving  e  very- 

522 


FIKST   FIGHT  ON  THE  RIVEE.  523 

thing  behind  them.  Whether  it  was  a  peaceful  village,  or 
a  crowded  market-place  they  passed,  they  inspired  the 
same  terror,  and  huts  and  market-places  were  alike  de- 
serted.    This  did  not  promise  well  for  the  future. 

In  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  Stanley,  in  the  Lady 
Alice,  came  to  a  river  one  hundred  yards  wide.  Knowing 
that  the  land  party  could  not  cross  this  without  a  boat,  he 
halted  to  wait  for  its  approach,  in  order  to  ferry  it  over, 
and  built  a  strong  camp.  This  was  on  November  23d, 
1876.  At  sunset  it  had  not  arrived,  and  he  became 
anxious*--  Next  morning  it  did  not  make  its  appearance, 
and  still  more  anxious,  he  ascended  this  river,  named  the 
Ruigi,  several  miles,  to  see  if  they  had  struck  it  farther 

Returning,  in  the  afternoon,  without  hearing  anything 
of  the  expedition,  he  was  startled,  as  he  approached  the 
camp,  at  the  rapid  firing  of  guns.  Alarmed,  he  told  the 
rowers  to  bend  to  their  oars,  and  sweeping  rapidly  down- 
ward, he  soon  came  to  the  mouth  of  the  stream,  and  found 
it  blocked  with  canoes,  filled  with  natives.  Dashing  down 
upon  them  with  loud  shouts,  they  fled  in  every  direction. 
One  dead  man  floating  in  the  stream  was  the  only  result 
of  the  first  fight  on  the  Livingstone. 

The  day  wore  away  and  night  came  down,  and  silence 
and  solitude  rested  on  the  forest  stretching  along  the  banks 
of  the  Huigi,  where  he  anxiously  waited  to  hear  musket- 
shots  announcing  the  arrival  of  the  land  party.  It  was  a 
long  and  painful  night,  for  one  of  two  things  was  certain : 
Tipo-tipo  and  Pocoke  had  lost  their  way  or  been  attacked 
and  overpowered.  The  bright  tropical  sun  rose  over  the 
forest  east  of  the  river  Ruigi,  but  its  banks  were  silent  and 
still.  Stanley  could  not  endure  the  suspense  any  longer, 
and  dispatched  Uledi,  with  five  of  the  boat's  crew,  to  seek 
the  wanderers.     This  Uledi,  hereafter  to  the  close  of  the 


524  THE   LOST   EETUENED. 

march,  becomes  a  prominent  figure.  Stanley  had  made 
him  coxswain  of  the  boat  Lady  Alice,  and  he  had  proved 
to  be  one  of  the  most  trustworthy  men  of  the  expedition, 
and  was  to  show  himself,  in  its  future  desperate  fortunes, 
one  of  the  most  cool  and  daring,  worthy,  only  half-civilized 
as  he  was,  to  stand  beside  Stanley.  The  latter  gave  him 
strict  directions  as  to  his  conduct  in  hunting  up  the  fugi- 
tives— especially  respecting  the  villages  he  might  come 
across.  Uledi  told  him  not  to  be  anxious  about  him — he 
would  soon  find  the  lost  party. 

Stanley,  of  course,  could  do  nothing  but  wait,  though 
filled  with  the  most  anxious  thoughts.  The  river  swept 
by  calmly  as  ever,  unconscious  of  the  troubled  hearts  on 
its  banks;  the  great  forest  stood  silent  and  still  in  the 
tropical  sun,  and  the  day  wore  away  as  it  ever  does — 
thoughtless  of  the  destinies  its  hours  are  settling,  and 
indifferent  to  the  human  suffering  that  crowds  them.  But 
at  four  o'clock  a  musket-shot  rang  out  of  the  woods,  and 
soon  Uledi  appeared  leading  the  lost  party.  They  had 
gone  astray  and  been  attacked  by  the  natives,  who  killed 
three  of  their  number.  Luckily  they  captured  a  prisoner, 
whom  they  forced  to  act  as  a  guide  to  conduct  them  back 
to  the  river,  and,  after  marching  all  day,  met  Uledi  in 
search  of  them.  They  were  ferried  across  and  allowed  to 
scatter  abroad  in  search  of  food,  which  they  took  wherever 
found,  without  any  regard  to  the  rights  of  the  natives. 
Necessity  had  compelled  Stanley  to  relax  his  strict  rules 
in  this  respect. 

The  next  day  the  march  was  continued  as  before,  com- 
munication being  kept  up  by  those  on  the  land  and  on  the 
water  by  drum-taps.  The  villages  they  passed  were  de- 
serted— every  soul  fleeing  at  their  approach.  Proceeding 
down  the  river,  they  came  across  six  abandoned  canoes 
more  or  less  injured.     Kepairing  these,  they  lashed  them 


BOATS  UPSET.  *  525 

together  as  a  floating  hospital  for  the  sick  of  the  land 
party,  the  number  of  which  had  greatly  increased  from  the 
exposures  and  hardships  they  were  compelled  to  undergo. 
In  the  afternoon  they  came  upon  the  first  rapids  they  had 
met.  Some  boats,  attempting  their  descent,  were  upset  and 
attacked  by  the  natives,  but  they  were  beaten  off".  Four 
Snider  rifles  were  lost,  which  brought  down  on  Pocoke, 
who  had  permitted  the  Arabs  to  run  this  risk,  a  severe  re- 
buke, and  a  still  severer  one  on  the  Arab  chief,  who  had 
asked  the  former  to  let  him  make  the  attempt.  The  chief, 
enraged  at  the  reproaches  heaped  upon  him,  went  to  Tipo- 
tipo,  and  declared  that  he  would  not  serve  Stanley  any 
longer.  This,  together  with  the  increased  hostility  of  the 
natives,  and  alarming  sickness,  and  dangerous  rapids, 
brought  the  head  cliief  to  Stanley  with  a  solemn  appeal  to 
turn  back  before  it  was  too  late.  But  the  latter  had 
reached  a  point  where  nothing  but  absolute  fate  could  turn 
him  back. 

The  rapids  were  passed  in  safety  by  the  canoes — the 
Lady  Alice  being  carried  on  mens'  shoulders  around  them. 
Natives  were  occasionally  met,  but  no  open  hostility  was 
shown  for  several  days.  The  river  would  now  be  con- 
tracted by  the  bold  shores,  and  rush  foaming  along,  and 
now  spread  into  lake-like  beauty,  dotted  with  green  islands, 
the  quiet  abodes  of  tropical  birds  and  monkeys,  that  filled 
the  air  with  a  jargon  of  sounds. 

On  the  4th  of  December  they  came  to  a  long,  straggling 
town,  composed  of  huts  only  seven  feet  long  by  five  wide, 
standing  apart,  yet  connected  by  roofe — the  intervening 
space  covered,  and  common  to  the  inhabitants  of  both  the 
adjacent  huts.  It  was,  however,  deserted,  like  the  rest. 
This  persistent  desertion  was  almost  as  dispiriting  as  open 
hostility,  and  an  evil  fate  seemed  to  hang  over  the  expedi- 
tion.    The  sickness  kept  increasing,  and  day  after  day  all 


526  A   SEEIES   OF  VILLAGES. 

that  broke  the  monotony  of  the  weary  hours  was  the  toss- 
ing over  now  and  then  dead  bodies  into  the  river.  The 
land  party  presented  a  heart-broken  appearance  as  they 
crawled,  at  night,  laden  with  the  sick  and  dying,  into 
camp.  At  this  place  Stanley  found  an  old,  battered,  aban- 
doned canoe,  capable  of  carrying  sixty  people.  This  he 
repaired,  and  added  it  to  his  floating  hospital. 

On  the  8th  of  December  he  came  to  another  large  town, 
the  inhabitants  of  which,  in  spite  of  all  attempts  to  make 
peace,  were  determined  to  fight,  and  with  fourteen  canoes 
approached  the  bank  on  which  the  land  party  were  en- 
camped, and  commenced  shooting  their  arrows.  This 
lasted  for  some  time,  when  Stanley  took  the  Lady  Alice 
and  dashed  among  them,  pouring  in  at  the  same  time  such 
a  close  and  deadly  fire  that  they  turned  and  fled. 

The  story  of  the  slow  drifting  and  marching  of  the 
expedition  down  the  Livingstone  is  a  very  monotonous  one 
to  read,  but  was  full  of  the  deepest  interest  to  the  travelers, 
for  the  forest  on  either  side  of  the  great  river  seemed  filled 
with  horns  and  war-drums,  while  out  from  a  creek  or  from 
behind  an  island  canoes  would  dart  and  threaten  an  attack. 
Floating  peacefully  through  those  primeval  forests  on  this 
stately  river,  bearing  them  ever  on  to  the  unknown,  would 
make  the  heart  heave  with  emotion,  but  when  danger  and 
death  were  ever  present,  the  intensest  feelings  were  aroused. 

At  length  they  came  to  a  series  of  villages  lining  the 
bank  and  surrounded  with  plenty.  There  was  a  large 
population,  and  the  natives,  at  the  approach  of  Stanley, 
blew  their  ivory  horns  and  beat  their  drums,  and  soon  a 
whole  fleet  of  canoes,  heavily  manned,  attacked  the  little 
party  in  the  boat.  By  a  bold  dash  Stanley  was  able  to 
seize  and  occupy  the  lower  village,  where  he  quickly  in- 
trenched himself.  The  savages  came  down  in  immense 
numbers,  filling  the  air  with  hideous  shouts  and  rushed  on 


A   BOLD  TKICK.  527 

the  slender  defenses  with  desperate  fury.  It  was  astonishing 
to  see  these  men,  to  whom  firearms  were  new,  show  so  little 
fear  of  them.  They  were  the  boldest  fighters  Stanley  had 
as  yet  encountered  in  Africa,  and  though  he  punished  them 
severely  they  kept  up  the  attack,  with  short  intervals 
between,  for  nearly  two  days.  At  last  the  appearance  of 
Tipo-tipo  along  the  bank  with  the  land  forces  made  them 
beat  a  retreat,  which  they  did  with  a  tremendous  noise  of 
horns  and  loud  threats  of  vengeance.  Out  of  the  few  with 
Stanley,  four  were  killed  and  thirteen  wounded,  or  seventeen 
out  of  forty — nearly  half  of  the  whole  force.  This  showed 
desperate  fighting,  and  as  the  enemy  advanced  by  hundreds 
their  loss  must  have  been  fearful. 

Stanley,  who  was  equal  in  stratagem  to  an  American 
Indian,  played  them  a  trick  that  night  which  took  all  their 
bravado  out  of  them.  Waiting  till  he  thought  they  were 
asleep,  he  took  the  Lady  Alice,  and  Frank  Pocoke  a  canoe, 
and,  both  with  muffled  oars,  rowed  up  the  river  to  find  their 
camp.  It  was  a  rainy,  dark  and  windy  night,  and,  hence, 
favorable  to  the  enterprise  he  had  in  hand,  and  his  move- 
ments were  undiscovered.  By  the  light  of  a  fire  on  the 
bank  he  ascertained  the  location  of  the  camp,  and  advanc- 
ing cautiously  saw  some  forty  canoes  drawn  up  on  shore. 
Bidding  Frank  go  down  stream  and  lie  to,  to  catch  them  as 
they  floated  down,  he  quietly  cut  them  all  adrift.  They 
were  caught  by  the  former,  and  by  midnight  were  at 
Stanley's  camp.  He  knew  that  he  now  had  them  in  his 
power,  and  so  in  the  morning  proceeded  to  their  camp  and 
made  offers  of  peace,  which  they  were  glad  to  accept  on 
the  condition  that  their  canoes  were  returned  to  them. 
This  was  agreed  to  and  blood-brotherhood  made.  Stanley, 
however,  whose  great  need  had  been  canoes,  determined 
not  to  let  all  these  slip  through  his  hands,  and  retained 
twenty-three,  giving  back  only  fifteen. 


528  TIPO-TIPO   RELEASED. 

Tipo-tipo  now  told  Stanley  that  he  would  proceed  no 
further,  his  people  were  dying  rapidly,  the  difficulties  of 
marchingwere  increasing  and  he  must  return.  Thelattersaw 
he  was  determined  to  go,  although  eight  marches  remained 
to  be  made,  and  released  him.  In  truth,  now  he  had  boats 
enough  to  carry  his  entire  expedition,  Tipo-tipo,  cumbered 
with  the  sick,  would  be  a  burden  rather  than  a  help,  and 
at  the  rate  they  were  moving,  eight  marches,  more  or  less, 
would  not  amount  to  much.  Besides,  marching  by  land, 
Stanley  saw  must  be  given  up  or  they  would  never  get  to 
the  sea.  Thus  far  they  had  scarcely  made  any  westing  at 
all,  having  gone  almost  due  north,  and  were  nearly  as  far 
from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  as  when  they  left  Nyangwe. 
The  only  thing  he  feared  was  the  effect  the  departure  of 
the  escort  would  have  on  his  men.  In  announcing  to  them 
that  on  the  sixth  day  they  should  start  down  the  river,  he 
made  them  quite  a  speech,  in  which  he  asked  them  if  he 
had  not  always  taken  good  care  of  them  and  fulfilled  all 
his  promises,  and  said  that  if  they  would  trust  him  im- 
plicitly he  would  surely  bring  them  out  to  the  ocean  and  see 
them  safe  back  to  Zanzibar.  "As  a  father  looks  after  his 
children,"  he  said,  "  so  will  I  look  after  you."  A  shout 
greeted  him  at  the  close.  One  of  his  chiefs  followed  in  an 
address  to  the  Arabs,  while  Uledi,  the  cockswain,  spoke 
for  the  boatmen. 

Preparations  for  starting  were  now  set  on  foot,  canoes 
mended,  provisions  gathered  and  everything  provided 
against  future  contingencies  that  could  be  thought  of. 
Christmas  day  came,  and  the  poor  fugitives  had  quite  a 
frolic  there  in  the  wilderness.  The  twenty-three  boats 
they  had  captured  were  christened  by  the  men,  amid  much 
merriment,  and  then  canoe  races  followed,  rowed  by  both 
men  and  women ;  all  wound  up  with  a  wild  war-dance  on 
the  banks  of  the  river. 


A   PLAINTIVE   FAREWELL  SONG.  629 

The  next  day  Tipo-tipo  gave  a  grand  dinner.  The  day 
after,  the  camps  separated,  and  all  intercourse  between  them 
ceased. 

On  the  morning  of  the  28th,  Stanley  embarked  his  men 
to  the  sound  of  drum  and  trumpet,  and  Tipo-tipo  hearing 
it  in  his  camp,  knew  that  the  parting  hour  had  come,  and 
paraded  his  men  on  the  bank.  As  the  expedition  slowly 
floated  down  the  stream  toward  it,  there  was  heard  a  deep, 
plaintive  chant  from  the  Arabs  on  the  bank,  as  a  hundred 
melodious  voices  arose  in  a  farewell  song;  out  from  the 
dim  forest,  and  over  the  rippling  water  it  floated,  in  sweet 
melancholy  strains,  that  touched  every  heart  in  that  slowly- 
moving  fleet  of  canoes.  Louder  and  louder  swelled  the 
chant,  increasing  in  volume  and  pathos,  as  the  wanderers 
drew  nearer.  As  they  approached  the  Arab  camp  they 
saw  the  singers  ranged  in  a  row  along  the  bank.  Passing 
slowly  by  them,  they  waved  a  silent  adieu,  for  their  hearts 
were  too  full  to  speak.  On  they  floated,  and  still  the  chant 
went  on,  until,  at  last,  it  died  away  in  the  distance,  and 
sadness  and  silence  rested  on  the  stream.  No  one  spoke  a 
word,  and  Stanley  cast  his  own  eyes,  not  wholly  dry,  over 
the  crowded  boats,  and  was  moved  with  the  deepest  pity. 
Nearly  all  were  sitting  with  their  faces  hidden  in  their 
hands  and  sobbing.  Those  they  were  leaving  behind  were 
about  to  return  to  their  homes — they  to  enter  new  dangers, 
out  of  which  they  might  never  emerge.  No  wonder  they 
were  sad,  and  it  is  singular  that  not  a  man,  even  of  those 
who  had  before  deserted,  asked  permission  to  go  back.  It 
was  a  mournful  scene  there  in  the  wilds  of  Africa,  and  on 
that  mysterious  river,  and  Stanley  said  it  was  the  saddest 
day  in  his  whole  life. 

The  casting  of  their  fortunes  in  this  desperate  venture 
of  his,  shows  what  wonderful  influence  he  had  acquired 
over  them,  and  with  what  devotion  he  had  inspired  them. 


530  EFFORT  TO  ROUSE  THE  MEN. 

No  wonder  his  heart  clung  to  them  to  the  last,  and  he 
would  never  leave  them,  until  he  saw  them  safe  again  in 
their  homes.  In  order  to  rouse  the  men,  he  shouted, 
"Sons  of  Zanzibar,  lift  up  your  heads  and  be  men.  What 
is  there  to  fear?  Here  we  are  all  together,  like  one  family, 
with  hearts  united,  all  strong  with  the  purpose  to  reach  our 
home.  See  this  river,  it  is  the  road  to  Zanzibar.  When 
saw  you  a  road  so  wide?  Strike  your  paddles  deep,  and 
cry  out '  Bismillah,'  and  let  us  forward."  No  shout  greeted 
this  appeal,  as  with  sickly  smiles  they  paddled  downward. 
Uledi  tried  to  sing,  but  it  was  such  a  miserable  failure  that 
his  sad  comoanions  could  not  restrain  a  smile. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

A  COSraON  FATE  EWDINQ  ALL—"  WE  WANT  TO  EAT  YOU"— THE  HOME  OP  THE  HIPPOPOTAMTS — 
THE  PERSUASIVE  ELOQUENCE  OP  THE  CANNIBAL  PKISONEES — A  NOVEL  SENSATION— A  PEACE- 
FUL TRICK— THE  CANNIBALS  PREVENT  A  FICIIT— A  SUDDEN  ATTACK— A  SUCCESSFUL  STRATA- 
GEM—ANOTHER FIGHT— A  HARD  CARRY  AROUND  THE  FALLS— AN  ADVANCED  TRIBE— RIVER 
FULL  OF  ISLANDS — MAGNIFICENT  SCEN"ERY — STANLEY'S  EXPEDITION— A  GRAND  BARBECUE— A 
NECESSARY  FIGHT— NIGHT  WORK- SEVENTY-EIGHT  HOURS*  INCESSANT  TOIL— PASSING  THE 
RAPIDS— A  LOST  MAN— A  THRILLING  SPECTACLE— GREAT  DARING— LOST  MEN— A  FEARFUL 
NIGHT— RESCUE  IN  THE  MORNING — BRAVE  ULEDI— A  CARRY  BOUND  THE  FALLS— A  BRILLIANT 
MANCEUVRE— IN  A  NET— MAN  MEAT— ANOTHER  FIGHT— THE  CONGO  STARTS  FOR  THE  SEA— 
ANOTHER  FIGHT— A  DESERTED  VILLAGE— AROUND  THE  FALLS— MUSKETS— A  FIGHT— HOME  OP 
THE  HIPPOPOTAMI— A  NEW  WAR-CRY— ASTONISHMENT  OP  THE  NATIVES  AT  SEEING  A  WHITE 
MAN— MORE  ENEMIES— STANLEY'S  SPEECH— A  FIGHT— THREE  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTEEN  MUSKETS 
AGAINST  FORTY-FOUR— STARVING— FRIENDLY  SAVAGES— ABUNDANT  PROVISIONS— DEATH  AND 
BURIAL  OP  A  CHIEFTAIN'S  WIFE— A  FRIENDLY  TRIBE— BEAUTIFUL  WOMEN— SERPENTS  IN 
CAMP— THE  LAST  AND  FIERCEST  FIGHT— STANLEY  POOL— FRIENDLY  CHIEFS — CURIOUS  INTER- 
VIEW WITH  KING  ITS!— A  GENERAL  PEACE. 

STANLEY  was  now  like  Cortez  when  he  burned  his 
sliips  behind  him — there  was  no  returning — one  and 
all  must  move  on  together  to  a  common  fate.  All  danger 
of  desertion,  for  the  present,  was  over,  and  he  felt  that  the 
consciousness  of  there  being  no  possible  escape,  and  that 
one  destiny  awaited  them  all,  not  only  bound  them  closer 
together,  but  would  make  them  better  fighters. 

At  first,  on  their  downward  march,  they  met  a  peaceful 
tribe,  and  then  a  hostile  one  who  would  listen  to  no  terms, 
and  whose  reply  to  e^ery  request  for  peace  was,  "  We  don't 
want  you ;  we  will  eat  you."  They,  however,  passed  by 
unmolested,  and  swept  down  the  river,  astonished  to  see  it 
so  thickly  populated.  That  night  they  encamped  in  a 
dense  jungle,  which  was  found  to  be  the  home  of  the  hip- 
popotamus in  the  dry  ^season.  Tipo-tipo  had  left  with 
Stanley  two  cannibals  that  he  had  captured,  to  be  used  by 
him  in  conciliating  the  savages,  as  they  knew  their  lan- 

531 


532  MEETING   CANNIBALS. 

guage.  These  tried  their  arts  this  night  on  the  natives  on 
the  farther  bank,  who  no  sooner  espied  the  strangers,  than 
they  beat  their  drums  and  advanced  to  attack  them.  The 
cannibals  talked  so  eloquently  and  plausibly  to  them,  that 
the  savages  withdrew  and  left  them  in  peace.  The  next 
morning  they  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  large  river  named 
Lowwa,  one  thousand  yards  wide. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  year,  they  were  moving  quietly 
down  stream — the  heavens  bright  above  them  and  the 
banks  green  beside  them — when  they  suddenly  heard  the 
hated  war-drum  sound ;  and  soon  the  canoes  of  the  natives 
shot  out  from  both  shores,  and  for  a  moment  a  collision 
seemed  inevitable ;  but  the  two  cannibals  shouted  Sennen- 
neh  !  "  peace,"  so  plaintively,  that  they  desisted  and  the 
little  fleet  passed  on  unmolested.  But  the  next  day  they 
met  other  boats,  which  advanced,  their  crews  shouting  "  we 
will  eat  you,"  but  they  were  easily  driven  off.  It  pro- 
duced a  novel  sensation  in  Stanley  to  be  hailed  every  day 
and  ordered  to  give  himself  up  for  a  good  roast.  At  length 
they  came  to  a  peaceful  tribe,  from  whom  they  obtained 
provisions. 

Gathering  such  information  as  they  could  from  the 
natives,  they  now  continued  on  very  quietly,  when  they 
were  suddenly  attacked  by  savages  in  canoes  of  immense 
size.  One,  eighty-five  feet  long,  singled  out  the  Lady 
Alice  and  made  for  it.  The  crew  of  the  latter  waited  till 
it  came  within  fifty  feet,  and  then,  pouring  in  a  deadly 
volley,  made  a  dash  to  run  it  down,  ^he  frightened  crew, 
just  before  the  collision,  jumped  overboard,  leaving  the  big 
boat  in  the  hands  of  Stanley. 

Keeping  on,  after  this  little  fight,  they  passed  small 
tributaries,  and  at  length  heard  the  roar  of  a  cataract 
below.  But  while  they  were  listening  to  the  unwelcome 
sound,  there  suddenly  rose  over  it  the  wild,  shrill  war-cries 


A   HAKD    FIGHT.  633 

of  the  savages  from  both  sides  of  the  river.  There  was  no 
escape  for  the  expedition  now — they  must  turn  and  fight. 
Dropping  their  stone  anchors  near  the  bank,  they  poured 
in  their  volleys,  but,  not  being  able  to  dislodge  them,  they 
pulled  up  their  anchors  and  rowed  up  stream,  where  Stan- 
ley divided  his  forces,  and  while  one  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  enemy  in  front,  the  other  landed,  and,  marching 
across  the  land,  took  them  in  rear.  As  soon  as  Stanley 
heard  the  first  shot,  announcing  its  arrival,  he  landed  and 
attacked  the  enemy  in  front  and  routed  them,  and  camped 
for  the  night  undisturbed. 

Next  morning,  however,  the  natives  appeared  again  in 
stronger  numbers  and  attacked  the  camp.  The  fight  was 
kept  up  for  two  hours,  when  a  sally  was  ordered,  and  they 
charged  on  the  enemy,  which,  though  giving  way,  kept  up 
the  fight  for  four  or  five  hours.  Two  of  Stanley's  men 
were  killed  and  ten  wounded.  The  former  were  thrown 
into  the  river,  for  Stanley  had  determined  to  bury  no  more 
men  till  out  of  the  cannibal  country.  This  defeat  of  the 
natives  gave  the  expedition  a  few  days'  rest,  so  that  this 
first  of  the  series  of  "  Stanley  falls,"  as  they  were  named, 
could  be  thoroughly  explored,  not  only  for  geographical 
purposes,  but  to  ascertain  the  best  way  of  getting  around 
them.  He  found  that  the  falls  could  not  be  run,  and  that 
a  carry  around  them  some  two  miles  long  must  be  made. 
A  path  was  cleared  with  axes,  and  boat  and  canoes  were 
taken  from  the  water  and  carried  with  great  labor,  yet 
safely,  overland,  and  launched  once  more  on  the  stream 
without  accident,  and  he  anchored  in  a  creek  near  its  en- 
'  trance  into  the  main  river.  Not  wishing  to  remain  here, 
the  order  to  advance  was  given,  and  soon  they  were  again 
afloat  on  the  great  river.  Sweeping  downward  they  heard 
the  roar  of  another  cataract,  and,  although  the  war-horns 
were  resounding  on  every  side,  encamped  on  an  island  in 


534  BEAUTIFUL   ISANDDS. 

the  middle  of  the  river.  The  hostile  natives  on  the  island, 
filled  with  terror,  escaped  to  the  main-land.  In  the  morn- 
ing Stanley  explored  the  island,  and  found  it  contained 
five  villages,  all  now  deserted — and  in  them  such  a  variety 
of  imj)lements  as  showed  that  the  inhabitants  were  adepts 
in. the  manufacture  of  all  kinds  of  iron  tools. 

The  river  was  full  of  islands,  winding  among  which,  day 
after  day,  Stanley  often  found  to  be  the  only  means  of 
escape  from  the  pertinacious  cannibals.  They  presented  a 
beautiful  apj)earance  with  their  luxuriant  foliage,  but  while 
the  eye  was  resting  on  their  loveliness,  the  ear  would  be 
saluted  with  the  sound  of  war-drums  and  hideous  shouts. 
Whenever  Stanley  landed  and  visited  a  village  from  which 
the  inhabitants  had  fled,  he  would  see  human  bones  scat- 
tered around,  flung  aside  like  oyster-shells,  after  the  meat 
was  removed,  and  at  times  the  whole  expedition  felt  as  if 
they  were  destined  to  make  a  grand  luncheon  for  these 
ferocious  man-eaters. 

The  next  day  Stanley  began  to  make  preparations  to  get 
around  the  falls.  The  first  thing  was  to  clear  himself  of  the 
savages  that  crowded  the  left  bank  and  were  ready  to  pounce 
on  him  any  moment.  So  taking  thirty-six  men  he  led  them 
through  the  bushes  and  drove  the  natives  back  to  their 
villages,  a  mile  distant,  and  after  a  desperate  struggle,  out 
of  them.  He  next  cut  a  narrow  path,  three  miles  long, 
around  the  cataract.  This  was  slow  work,  and  as  haste  was 
imperative,  the  men  were  kept  at  work  all  night,  flaming 
torches  lighting  up  the  way  and  making  the  gloomy 
shadows  of  the  strange  forest  deeper  still.  Camps  were 
distributed  at  short  intervals  along  the  route,  and  to  the 
first  of  these  the  canoes  were  carried  before  daylight.  The 
savages  made  a  rush  on  them  but  were  driven  back.  At 
night  another  stretch  of  path  was  made,  to  which  the 
canoes  and  baggage  were  hurried  before  the  cannibals  were 


A   PERILOUS   SITUATION.  537 

astir  in  the  morning.  There  was  less  hostility  and  the  work 
went  steadily  on,  and  at  last,  after  seventy-eight  hours 
of  unwearied  labor  and  almost  constant  fighting  the  river 
was  again  reached  and  the  boats  launched.  This  was  Jan- 
uary 14th,  but  though  the  river  had  been  reached  new 
perils  awaited  them.  There  was  a  stretch  of  two  miles  of 
rapids  that  must  be  passed.  After  six  canoes  had  been  passed 
safely,  one  was  upset,  and  one  of  those  in  it,  Zaidi,  instead 
of  swimming  ashore,  as  the  others  did,  clung  to  it,  and  was 
borne  helplessly  down  to  the  cataract  below.  But  on  the 
very  verge  was  a  solitary  rock  on  which  the  boat  drifted 
and  split — one  part  getting  jammed  fast.  To  this  the  poor 
wretch  clung  with  the  strength  of  despair,  while  all  around 
leaped  and  whirled  and  roared  the  boiling  water.  Those 
on  shore  shrieked  in  agony,  and  Stanley  was  hastily  sent 
for.  He  immediately  set  to  work  making  a  rattan  rope,  in 
order  to  let  down  a  boat  to  him  by  which  he  could  be 
pulled  ashore.  But  the  rope  was  not  strong  enough,  and 
snapped  asunder  as  soon  as  the  boat  reached  the  heavy  suck 
of  water  just  above  the  falls,  and  it  was  whirled  into  the 
vortex  below.  Other  and  stronger  ropes  were  then  made 
and  another  canoe  brought  uj)  and  three  ropes  lashed  to  it. 
A  couple  of  men  would  be  needed  to  paddle  and  steer  the 
]3oat  so  that  it  could  reach  the  unfortunate  wretch  on  his 
perilous  perch,  and  volunteers  were  called  for.  But  one 
glance  at  the  wild  and  angry  waves  was  enough,  and  no  one 
responded.  Stanley  then  appealed  to  their  feelings,  when 
the  brave  Uledi  stepped  forward  and  said  "I  will  go." 
Others  of  the  crew  followed,  but  only  one  was  needed.  The 
two  stepped  calmly  into  the  boat  and  pushed  off — watched 
with  intense  anxiety  by  those  on  shore.  Beaching  a 
certain  distance  above  the  falls,  it  drifted  rapidly  down 
toward  them,  guided  by  those  holding  two  of  the  cables  on 
shore.     The  third  floated  from  the  stern  of  the  boat  for  the 


538  TEEKIBLE   SUSPENSE. 

poor  wretch  on  the  rock  to  seize.  Attempt  after  attempt 
was  made  to  get  this  within  Zaidi's  reach,  but  the  whirling 
waters  flung  it  about  like  a  whip-lash.  At  length  the 
boat  was  lowered  so  close  to  the  brink  of  the  falls  that  he 
was  able  to  reach  it,  but  no  sooner  had  he  seized  it  and 
flung  himself  loose,  than  he  was  borne  over  the  edge  and 
disappeared  below.  But  he  held  on  to  the  roj^e  and  soon 
his  head  appeared  above  the  boiling  waves,  when  the  word 
was  given  to  haul  away.  The  strain,  however,  was  too 
great,  and  the  cables  parted  and  away  dashed  the  canoe 
toward  certain  destruction,  and  a  cry  of  horror  arose 
from  those  on  shore,  for  all  three  now  seemed  inevitably 
lost.  But  Zaidi  below,  by  hanging  on  to  the  rope,  pulled 
the  boat  against  the  rock  where  it  lay  wedged.  He  was 
then  pulled  up,  and  the  three  crouched  together  on  the  rock. 
A  stone  was  now  tied  to  about  three  hundred  feet  of  whip- 
cord and  flung  to  them,  but  they  failed  to  catch  it.  Again 
and  again  was  it  thrown  only  to  be  pulled  in  and  recast, 
but  at  last  it  whirled  so  close  to  them  that  they  caught  it. 
A  heavy  rope  of  rattan  was  then  tied  to  it  and  drawn 
across  and  fastened,  and  a  bridge  thus  secured. 

But  this  had  taken  so  much  time  that  night  came  on 
before  they  could  finish  their  work ;  the  three  wretched 
men  were  left  to  crouch  on  the  rock,  and  wait  for  the 
morning.  All  night  long  they  held  on  to  their  wild  perch, 
while  the  water  rushed,  and  boiled,  and  roared  around  them, 
and  the  deep  thunder  of  the  cataract  rising  in  one  deep 
monotone  over  all,  so  that  they  could  not  hear  each  other 
speak. 

The  next  morning,  early,  the  Arabs  were  set  to  work 
making  more  ropes,  which  were  finally  hauled  across,  and 
fastened  round  the  waists  of  each  man,  and  then,  one  by 
one,  they  leaped  into  the  water  and  were  drawn  safely 
ashore,  amid  the  shouts  of  the  j)eople. 


PEACE  BY   STRATEGY.  539 

They  now  set  to  work  cutting  a  road  three  miles  long 
through  the  woods.  Over  this  the  canoes  were,  with  great 
labor,  hauled  before  the  savages  on  the  farther  side  knew 
what  they  were  about.  But  the  moment  they  were  afloat, 
they  discovered  them,  and  rushed  forward  with  their 
canoes,  and  the  battle  commenced.  Stanley  dashed  through 
them,  and  sweeping  down  stream  for  a  mile,  landed  on  the 
island  where  the  tribe  lived,  and  quietly  detaching  twenty 
men,  sent  them  to  the  villages,  while  he  kept  the  savages 
at  bay.  In  a  short  time,  the  detachment  returned,  bring- 
ing with  them  a  crowd  of  women  and  children  as  prisoners, 
and  a  large  herd  of  sheep.  The  savages,  when  they  saw 
these  marching  down  to  the  landing-place,  were  taken  so 
completely  aback,  that  they  stopped  fighting  at  once,  and 
withdrew  to  consult  what  was  best  to  do  in  this  extraordi- 
nary turn  of  affairs.  They  sat  in  their  canoes,  waiting  to 
see  their  friends  massacred.  Negotiations  for  peace  were  soon 
opened  and  concluded,  and  the  ceremony  of  blood-brother- 
hood was  gone  through  with,  the  captives  and  herds  were 
surrendered  up,  and  friendly  terms  were  established. 

The  fifth  cataract  was  at  the  foot  of  this  island,  and  was 
safely  passed,  and  the  expedition  encamped  on  the  bank  of 
the  river,  on  a  green  plat  of  ground,  and  slept  undisturbed. 
In  the  morning,  to  their  unbounded  surprise,  they  found 
themselves  inclosed  in  a  net  of  cord,  reaching  .from  the 
shore  above  the  camp,  to  the  shore  below  it,  passing  through 
the  bushes.  Stanley  knew  what  this  meant — that  they  were 
to  be  speared,  when  they  approached  it,  like  so  many  wild 
beasts.  He  at  once  ordered  one  of  the  chiefs,  Manwa  Sera, 
to  take  thirty  men,  and  row  up  the  river  a  short  distance 
and  land,  and  march  inland,  and  come  up  behind  those 
lying  in  wait  outside  of  the  net.  At  the  end  of  an  hour 
he  ordered  men  forward  to  cut  the  nets,  when  the  firing 
commenced.     The  savages  soon  turned  and  fled,  but   to 


540  A  FURIOUS  ATTACK. 

tlieir  astonishment,  met  the  enemy  advancing  on  them 
by  the  road  leading  from  their  villages,  and  fled  in  every 
direction.  Eight  prisoners  were,  however,  captured,  and 
brought  into  camp.  On  being  questioned,  they  confessed 
that  they  were  after  man-meat,  and  said  that  their  tribe, 
which  lived  about  a  day's  journey  inland,  eat  old  men  and 
women  and  every  stranger  that  fell  into  their  hands. 

They  now  kept  down  the  river  for  several  miles  unmo- 
lested, and  at  length  heard  the  sullen  roar  of  the  sixth 
cataract  rising  over  the  woods,  and  camped  on  the  right 
bank,  near  an  island  covered  with  villages.  Stanley  knew 
what  was  before  him,  and  ordered  a  stockade  to  be  com- 
menced immediately.  But,  before  it  was  finished,  the 
everlasting  drum  and  horn  pealed  through  the  woods,  and 
soon  the  savages  were  upon  them.  After  a  short  fight, 
they  retreated,  followed  by  Stanley's  soldiers,  to  a  large 
village,  but  there  were  only  three  or  four  old  women  in  it, 
whom  they  brought  into  camp.  In  a  short  time  a  heavier 
force  apjoroached  and  made  a  furious  attack,  but  were 
quickly  driven  back  and  two  wounded  men  taken  prisoners. 
A  part  of  the  force  was  all  this  time  cutting  a  path  around 
the  cataract.  The  next  morning  they  set  to  work  with  a 
will,  and  by  noon  had  got  safely  around  it.  Stanley  hav- 
ing wormed  out  of  his  captives  all  the  information  he  could 
of  the  surrounding  country  and  the  various  tribes  that  in- 
habit it  set  them  free.  Passing  some  rapids,  they  came  to 
a  village,  in  which  there  was  but  a  single  old  man,  solitary 
and  alone,  and  who  had  been  there  for  several  days.  The 
next  day  they  halted  to  repair  the  boats.  The  persistent 
course  of  the  river,  till  within  the  last  few  days,  to  the 
north,  and  sometimes  north-east,  had  troubled  Stanley,  and 
but  for  the  immense  volume  of  water  that  he  knew  had  no 
eastern  outlet,  would  have  shaken  his  faith  in  its  being  the 
Congo.    But,  since  he  past  the  last  cataract  he  noticed  that 


ONE  INCESSANT  FIGHT.  541 

it  gradually  deflected  to  the  north-west,  and  now  swept  by 
almost  due  west,  having  evidently  at  last  started  on  its 
march  for  the  sea.  Long  islands  still  divided  the  river, 
making,  most  of  the  time,  two  streams  and  shutting  out  the 
opposite  banks.  Keeping  down  the  right  channel,  they 
passed  through  enchanting  scenery,  undisturbed  by  war- 
drums  and  savage  shouts.  Though  the  water  was  smooth 
on  their  side,  over  the  island,  on  the  other,  they  could 
hear  the  roar  of  rapids,  and  a  few  miles  farther  down  the 
loud  roar  of  the  seventh  and  last  cataract  of  the  "  Stanley 
falls"  burst  on  their  ears,  filling  the  solitude  with  its  loud 
thunder.  The  river  here  was  over  a  mile  wide,  and  the 
fall  of  such  an  immense  body  of  water  over  a  high  ledge 
made  the  earth  fairly  tremble. 

It  was  one  incessant  fight,  either  with  the  savages 
or  with  nature,  and  it  seemed  as  if  fate  was  determined 
to  wear  out  these  indomitable  men.  Soon  the  loud  war- 
drums,  and  horns,  and  battle-shouts  were  mingled  with 
the  roar  of  the  cataract,  showing  them  that  here,  too, 
they  must  fight  before  they  could  get  below  it.  Drop- 
ping down  as  near  as  it  was  safe  to  the  commencement 
of  the  rapids,  they  pulled  ashore  and  pitched,  their  camp 
in  a  dense  forest.  Fearful  of  being  attacked  before  they 
could  intrench,  they  immediately  set  to  work  with  their 
axes  to  throw  together  a  brushwood  fence,  while  thirty 
soldiers  were  stationed  in  front  toward  the  river,  to  repel 
any  assault.  They  had  hardly  got  it  completed  before 
the  naked  cannibals  were  upon  them  with  a  fury  that 
threatened  to  break  through  their  defenses.  All  this  time 
out  from  the  woods,  adown  the  gorge  through  which  the 
river  plunged,  war-drums  and  horns  were  heard  summon- 
ing the  thickly-scattered  villages  to  the  scene  of  combat. 
Before  the  steady  fire  of  the  musketeers  the  savages  suf- 
fered so  severely  that  at  sunset  they  abandoned  the  attack 


542  MYSTERIOUS   DESERTION. 

and  withdrew.  Stanley  now  secured  his  boats  and  strength- 
ened the  brushwood  fence,  and  laid  his  plans  for  the 
morning. 

The  camp  was  roused  at  five  o'clock,  and  they  pushed 
on  to  a  point  nearer  the  falls,  so  that  the  work  of  carrying 
around  them  was  comj)leted  before  the  Wangas  were  upon 
them.  Everything  being  made  secure  here,  they  waited 
for  the  expected  attack  to  begin,  but,  no  enemy  appearing, 
Stanley  sent  out  scouts  to  ascertain  what  they  were  about. 
They  brought  back  word  that  no  savages  were  to  be  seen. 
On  advancing  to  the  villages,  Stanley  found  to  his  astonish- 
ment that  they  were  all  deserted.  Why  or  whither  they 
had  fled  was  a  profound  mystery.  Here  was  a  town  or 
cluster  of  villages,  each  with  four  or  five  streets  running 
through  it,  and  capable  of  containing  two  thousand  inhab- 
itants, deserted  in  a  single  night.  The  silence  of  death 
reigned  over  it. 

Left  thus  at  peace,  he  began  to  turn  his  attention  to  the 
falls.  He  found  the  river  here  in  this  terrific  gorge  was 
contracted  to  less  than  one-third  of  its  breadth  a  short  dis- 
tance above,  and  hence  flowed  with  a  power  and  strength 
that  can  hardly  be  conceived.  Crowded  together,  the 
waters  struggled  and  leaped,  and  tore  onward  with  a  wild- 
ness  and  fury  like  the  Niagara  Kiver  below  the  falls.  He 
here  found  baskets  tied  to  long  poles  set  to  catch  fish. 
They  emptied  some  of  these,  and  found  in  them  about 
thirty  fish,  of  a  diflerent  species  from  any  known  in  our 
waters,  showing  that  they  had  got  among  savages  that  did 
not  wholly  depend  on  human  flesh  for  subsistence  in  the 
way  of  meat.  They  showed,  also,  in  their  villages  apd 
houses,  and  various  implements  and  articles  of  household 
furniture,  that  they  were  in,  advance  of  the  cannibals  above 
them.  At  the  same  time,  they  seemed  more  alert,  fearless 
and  determined. 


A  NEW   PERIL — MUSKETS  643 

The  carry  around  these  falls  was  not  interrupted,  and 
the  immense  labor  of  transporting  so  many  boats  and  so 
much  baggage  along  a  rough-cut  path  was  cheerfully 
jDcrformed.  The  next  day,  however,  while  congratulating 
themselves  on  the  changed  condition  of  things,  they  saw  a 
large  number  of  canoes  approaching,  and  soon  a  musket- 
shot  rang  over  the  water,  and  one  of  Stanley's  men  fell. 
A  new  peril  now  threatened  them — they  found  the  natives 
armed  with  Portuguese  muskets.  Though  it  was  a  sure 
sign  that  they  were  approaching  the  coast,  it  showed,  also, 
that  hereafter  it  was  to  be  fire-arms  against  fire-arms,  not 
rifles  against  spears  and,  arrows ;  and  if  the  natives  con- 
tinued hostile,  the  destruction  of  the  expedition  seemed  cer- 
tain with  such  odds  against  it.  Heretofore  in  every  combat 
the  men  picked  up  a  number  of  native  shields,  almost  as 
big  as  doors,  which  they  preserved.  In  battle,  the  women 
and  children  would  hold  these  before  the  soldiers,  which 
was  the  chief  reason  why  there  had  been  so  few  casualties 
when  fighting  from  the  boats ;  but  if  bullets  hereafter  were 
to  be  fired,  these  would  be  of  no  use.  Still  there  was 
nothing  left  but  to  fight  to  the  last. 

This  changed  condition  of  things  caused  Stanley  the 
greatest  anxiety.  He,  however,  formed  his  boats  in  line  of 
battle  and  the  firing  commenced — the  natives  after  every 
discharge  retiring  to  reload.  Stanley's  soldiers  fired  so 
rapidly,  and  with  such  deadly  efiect,  that  after  an  hour  had 
past  the  natives  withdrew,  and  the  expedition  moved  off 
and  was  soon  lost  to  sight  amid  the  innumerable  islands 
that  studded  the  river — each  one  loaded  with  the  most 
luxuriant  vegetation. 

The  next  day  they  floated  down  the  river  undisturbed — 
the  islands  growing  thicker  as  it  expanded,  being  now 
several  miles  wide.  On  one  of  them  they  saw  an  immense 
elephant  standing  amid  the  trees,  but  no  one  proposed  to 


544  A  SHORT  SPEECH. 

stop  and  kill  him,  thougli  his  huge  tusks  were  a  tempting 
sight ;  there  was  too  much  at  stake  to  think  of  hunting 
great  crocodiles  and  hippopotami  and  other  amphibious 
monsters,  who  make  the  channels  around  these  islands 
their  home. 

The  next  day,  the  13th  of  February,  they  suddenly 
came  upon  a  large  number  of  villages.  They  were  hidden 
from  view,  till  they  were  so  close  upon  them,  it  was  too  late 
to  retreat.  The  next  minute  the  forest  resounded  with 
the  loud  war-drums  and  ivory  horns,  while  the  fierce  war- 
cries  had  changed  their  character  and  sounded  like  nothing 
human  Stanley  had  ever  heard.  Bright  gun-barrels 
gleamed  above  the  light,  graceful  boats  as  they  came 
swiftly  on.  But  as  they  drew  near  the  natives  seemed  to 
be  filled  with  such  strange  wonder  at  the  novel  spectacle  of 
two  white  men,  that  they  did  not  fire,  but  sat  and  stared  at 
them  as  if  they  had  been  ghosts.  They  followed  them  for 
five  miles  in  dead  silence,  when  one  of  them  fired  and 
killed  an  Arab.  In  an  instant,  the  boats  wheeled  and 
opened  such  a  rapid  fire,  that  the  savages  retreated.  But, 
when  Stanley  again  resumed  his  downward  course,  they 
turned  and  followed  after,  hovering  like  hawks  around 
him  for  five  miles,  but  making  no  attack. 

They  were  now  just  above  the  equator,  and  were  moving- 
south-west.  The  next  morning  the  islands  were  so  thick 
that  they  shut  out  both  banks,  but  keeping  on  down  stream 
they  at  length  came  upon  a  village,  and  attempted  to  pass 
it  unobserved,  but  the  tap  of  a  drum  showed  that  they  were 
observed,  and  their  hearts  sunk  within  them  at  the  prospect 
of  another  fight.  In  a  few  minutes  drum  was  answering 
drum  in  every  direction,  and  soon  the  savages  were  seen 
manning  their  canoes.  Stanley,  seeing  his  men  were  worn 
down  by  this  incessant  fighting,  made  them  a  short  sj)eech, 
telling  them  if  they  must  die  it  would  be  with  their  guns  in 


DESPERATE   ODDS.  547 

tlieir  hands.  He  had  come  to  have  great  contempt  for  the 
natives  on  the  water  so  long  as  they  were  without  fire-arms. 
He  could  soon  scatter  them  and  keep  them  at  a  respectful 
distance  with  his  rifles,  but  when  it  should  be  five  hundred 
muskets  against  his  forty  guns,  the  whole  character  of  the 
struggle  would  be  changed. 

As  they  quietly  floated  down,  canoe  after  canoe  shot  out 
into  the  river  filled  with  gayly-decorated  savages,  till  a 
whole  fleet  of  them  was  in  pursuit  Stanley  ordered  his 
men  to  cease  paddling  and  wait  their  approach,  determined, 
if  possible,  to  make  peace.  But,  while  he  was  standing  up 
holding  out  cloth  and  wire  and  making  peaceful  gestures, 
the  crew  of  one  canoe  fired  into  his  boat  wounding  three 
men. 

There  was  nothing  left  now  to  do  but  to  fight,  and  soon 
the  crash  of  fire-arms  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  forest-covered 
shores.  The  men  had  raised  their  shields,  and  to  their 
joy  found  them  a  perfect  protection,  as  the  enemy  fired 
bits  of  iron  and  copper,  that  could  not  penetrate  them  any 
more  than  the  native  arrows.  As  the  fight  went  on,  other 
canoes  arrived,  until  Stanley  counted  sixty-three  canoes, 
which  he  estimated  carried  five  guns  apiece,  which  would 
make  three  hundred  and  fifteen  to  his  forty-four — a  desperate 
odds,  and  if  they  had  been  loaded  with  bullets,  would  have 
doubtless  then  and  there  ended  the  expedition.  It  is  a 
little  curious  that  whenever  Stanley  gets  into  a  desperate 
strait  that  even  his  boldness  and  pluck  cannot  help  him 
out  of,  some  unforeseen  thing  comes  to  his  aid,  and  he 
escapes. 

In  this  case,  his  rifles  having  so  much  longer  range  and 
greater  penetrating  force  than  these  old-fashioned  muskets, 
most  of  the  enemy  kept  at  a  distance  of  a  hundred 
yards.  One  brave  fellow,  however,  kept  dashing  up  to 
within  fifty  yards,  and  firing,  till  he  was  wounded.     It  was 


548  NEAKLY   HALF-STARVED. 

a  lucky  tiling  for  Stanley  that  their  guns  were  poor,  their 
cartridges  feeble  and  their  aim  bad.  At  length  the  fire 
began  to  slacken,  and  dwindling  down  to  now  and  then  a 
random  shot,  before  six  o'clock  ceased  altogether. 

The  fight  being  over,  the  men  laid  down  their  guns  and 
once  more  took  up  their  paddles  and  soon  were  out  of  sight 
of  their  enemies,  and  at  sunset  camped  on  an  island  that 
lay  amid  a  nest  of  islets. 

The  next  day,  the  15th,  they  continued  their  journey,  and 
this  and  the  16th  and  17th,  were  unmolested  and  allowed 
to  enjoy  the  magnificent  scenery  amid  which  they  floated  ; 
but  they  had  little  inclination  to  admire  scenery,  for  they 
were  nearly  half-starved,  not  having  been  able  to  purchase 
a  particle  of  food  for  a  week. 

On  the  19th  they  came  to  a  great  river,  the  largest 
tributary  yet  seen,  and  pouring  an  enormous  volume  of 
black  water  into  the  Livingstone. 

It  now  began  to  look  as  if,  after  having  escaped  death 
by  battle  and  the  cataracts,  they  were  about  to  yield  to 
famine.  They  met  fishermen,  but  they  would  have  noth- 
ing to  do  with  them.  On  the  19th,  nine  days  since  they 
had  been  able  to  purchase  any  provisions,  they  came  to 
Ikengo,  where,  to  their  great  joy,  they  found  friendly 
natives.  The  next  day  Stanley  held  a  market  on  the 
island,  where  he  had  encamped,  to  which  the  neighboring 
chiefs  came,  as  well  as  the  villagers.  Trade  was  brisk, 
and  before  night  he  had  a  bountiful  suj^ply  of  sheep, 
goats,  bananas,  flour,  sweet  potatoes  and  various  tropical 
fruits,  for  which  he  exchanged  cloth,  and  beads,  and  wire. 
The  men  revelled  in  the  unexpected  abundance,  and  hope 
and  joy  again  took  the  place  of  gloom  and  discontent. 
The  next  day  they  resumed  their  apparently  endless  jour- 
ney, and  floated  peacefully  amid  green  islands,  scattered  like 
gems  over  the  broad  bosom  of  the  now  friendly  stream. 


FRIENDLY   FISHERMEN.  549 

On  the  23d,  while  floating  quietly  down,  word  was  brought 
Stanley  that  the  wife  of  one  of  the  Arab  chiefs,  who  had 
been  sick  for  some  time,  was  dying,  and  he  pulled  his 
boat  alongside  of  the  one  in  which  she  lay.  She  knew  she 
was  going,  and  bade  hira  an  affectionate  good-bye.  Soon 
after  she  expired.  At  sunset  a  weight  was  tied  to  her  body, 
and  she  was  dropped  into  the  waters  of  the  river,  and  left 
to  sleep  on  its  lonely  bed,  far  away  from  the  cocoa-nuts 
and  mangoes  of  her  native  land. 

Their  course  now  led  them  among  beautiful  islets,  made 
gay  by  the  rich  plumage  of  tropical  birds,  occasionally 
meeting  a  few  canoes,  but  no  hostility  was  exhibited. 

On  the  27th,  they  came  upon  natives  fishing,  who  at 
once  showed  themselves  to  be  friendly,  and  exhibited  no 
distrust  at  all.  It  was  a  new  revelation  to  the  wanderers. 
Hitherto,  after  the  most  patient  waiting  and  persevering 
efforts,  could  they  gain  the  confidence  of  the  savages  if 
they  secured  it  at  all ;  while  here  it  was  freely  given,  and 
they  directed  them  to  a  good  camping  place,  on  an  island 
from  whence  they  looked  across  to  the  fields  and  villages 
of  Chumbiri,  where  these  fishermen  belonged.  The  fisher- 
men then  departed,  to  report  to  their  king,  who  sent  them 
back  with  presents  of  food,  and  a  promise  that  he  would 
visit  the  camp.  True  to  his  word,  he  appeared  next  day, 
escorted  by  five  canoes  filled  with  soldiers,  carrying  muskets. 
He  wore  a  curious  hat,  was  very  cool  and  self-possessed  in 
his  manner,  and  inclined  to  be  sociable.  He  took  snuff  in- 
cessantly, and  in  enormous  quantities.  After  a  long  con- 
versation, he  invited  them  to  make  his  village  their  home, 
and  Stanley,  wishing  to  learn  all  he  could  of  the  river 
below,  accepted  the  invitation,  and  the  expedition  crossed 
the  river,  and  was  received  in  savage  pomp.  A  grand 
market  was  held,  and  exchanges  freely  made.  The  women 
did  not  seem  to  be  of  the  j)ure  African  blood,  being  brown 


550  A   COMPLETE  SURPRISE. 

instead  of  black,  with  large  eyes,  beautifully  shaped 
shoulders,  and  altogether  very  pretty.  They  were  very 
fond  of  ornaments,  some  of  them  wearing  thirty  pounds  of 
brass  wire  around  their  necks.  Stanley  estimated  that  the 
forty  wives,  six  daughters  and  the  female  slaves  of  the 
king  carried  on  their  necks  about  one  thousand  four  hun- 
dred pounds  of  brass  wire. 

He  stayed  here  a  week,  enjoying  the  hospitality  of  the 
king,  who,  to  all  his  other  kindness,  gave  him  three  canoes, 
as  an  escort,  and  on  the  7th  of  March  turned  the  prows  of 
his  boats  again  down  stream.  That  night  they  encamped 
in  a  jungle,  into  which  two  immense  serpents  crawled,  one 
of  which  was  killed  just  as  he  began  to  twine  his  folds 
about  a  woman.  It  measured  thirteen  feet  and  a  half  in 
length,  and  fifteen  inches  round  the  body.  The  next  day 
passing  tributary  after  tributary,  they,  on  the  9th,  went 
ashore  to  cook  breakfast ;  the  women  were  busily  engaged 
in  preparing  it,  when  they  were  startled  by  loud  musket  shots, 
and  six  of  the  men  fell.  They  were  taken  completely  by 
surprise,  but  springing  to  their  guns,  they  dashed  into  the 
woods,  and  a  fierce  fight  followed,  which  lasted  an  hour. 
It  was  one  incessant  crack  of  musketry,  each  one  shel- 
tering himself  as  best  he  could.  The  savages  were  finally 
driven  off,  but  not  until  they  had  wounded  fourteen  of 
Stanley's  men.  This  was  the  sharpest  fight  he  had  had 
yet,  and  if  it  was  a  prelude  to  what  was  to  follow,  the  ex- 
pedition would  soon  consist  of  nothing  but  wounded  men. 
It  is  astonishing,  that  in  all  these  fights,  of  which  this  was 
the  thirty-second,  and  last,  neither  Stanley  nor  Pocoke 
should  receive  a  wound. 

After  the  wounded  men  had  been  attended  to,  they 
again  set  out  and  floated  peaceably  down,  not  suspecting 
any  danger,  when  they  approached  a  settlement  which 
suddenly  swarmed   with  excited  armed  men.      Rowing 


STANLEY  S   POOL.  551 

away  as  fast  as  possible,  they  soon  got  clear  of  the  village, 
and  encamped  three  miles  below.  The  next  day  the 
voyage  was  charming,  taking  them  through  beautiful  and 
ever-changing  scenery.  Nothing  occurred  to  mar  their 
pleasure  the  following  day  except  a  fierce  south  wind,  which 
now  began  to  set  in  regularly  every  day,  making  the  river 
exceedingly  rough  for  the  canoes — especially  at  this  point, 
where  the  river  expanded  to  nearly  two  miles  in  width. 
This  great  breadth  extended  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
and,  hemmed  in  by  cliffs,  resembled  a  pool,  which  young 
Pocoke  christened  "  Stanley  Pool." 

Paddling  slowly  down  this  pool,  they  passed  several 
villages.  Makoneh,  the  chief  of  one,  proved  very  kind 
and  hospitable,  and  offered  to  conduct  Stanley  to  the  next 
cataract.  As  they  swept  down,  they  halted  at  a  friendly 
village,  the  chief  of  which  inquired  how  they  expected  to 
get  over  the  mighty  falls  below.  He  was  a  bluff,  genial, 
good-souled  negro,  who  seemed  glad  to  assist  them  in  any 
way  in  his  power,  and  finally  offered  to  guide  them  to  the 
cataract.  Moving  down,  soon  its  low  roar  was  heard 
swelling  over  the  forest,  gradually  increasing  as  they 
advanced,  till  it  rose  like  a  continuous  thunder-peal  from 
the  solitude  below. 

Makoneh  led  the  way,  and,  just  skirting  the  first  line  of 
breakers,  landed  on  a  pebbly  beach.  The  village  of  Itsi 
was  in  sight,  who  was  the  petty  king  of  a  neighboring 
tribe.  Some  canoes  soon  crossed  from  it,  and  were  received 
so  kindly  that  the  natives  went  back  with  such  wonderful 
stories  to  their  king,  that  next  day  he  paid  Stanley  a  visit. 
He  came  in  a  large  canoe  carrying  eighty-six  persons.  It 
was  over  eighty-five  feet  long,  and  propelled  by  sixty 
paddlers.  These,  standing  up  and  keej^ing  time  with  their 
strokes  to  the  steady  beat  of  a  drum,  sent  the  boat  like  an 
arrow  through  the  water,  and  made  a  stirring  picture  as 


552  THE  BIG  GOAT. 

they  dashed  up  to  Stanley's  camp.  There  were  several 
gray-headed  men  present,  one  of  whom  was  introduced  to 
Stanley  as  the  king.  The  latter  noticed  that  the  rest 
laughed  heartily  at  this,  which  afterwards  turned  out  to  be 
a  practical  joke.  However,  Stanley  sat  down  with  the 
venerable  person  in  amicable  conversation,  while  a  young 
native  and  Frank  seemed  to  strike  up  a  warm  friendship 
for  each  other,  or  at  least  the  native  for  Pocoke,  judging 
by  the  way  he  pressed  presents  on  him. 

It  seemed  strange  to  Stanley  that  the  young  savage 
should  give  twice  as  much  to  Frank  as  the  king  gave  to 
him,  but  it  now  came  out  that  this  young  man  was  the 
king,  and  the  aged  man  Stanley  had  been  conversing  with, 
one  of  his  counselors.  Stanley  at  once  changed  his  attention, 
and  asked  him  what  present  would  please  him.  The  royal 
young  savage  had  been  looking  about  at  the  various  things 
in  camp,  and  seeing  a  very  large  goat,  told  Stanley  that  he 
wished  "  big  goat."  Now  this  happened  to  be  the  last 
thing  the  latter  wished  to  part  with.  A  lady  in  England 
had  requested  him  to  bring  back  a  goat  of  this  very  breed,  and 
he  had  purchased  several,  of  which  this  alone  had  survived 
the  long  and  dangerous  journey.  He  therefore  endeavored 
to  bribe  the  young  king  by  doubling  the  other  presents  he 
had  prepared.  No,  he  would  have  the  "  big  goat."  Stan- 
ley then  offered  to  give  him  an  ass  instead.  At  this  the 
savage  seemed  to  hesitate.  The  donkey  was  very  desira- 
ble, but  at  this  critical  moment  the  animal  sent  up  a  huge 
bray,  which  so  frightened  the  women,  that  he  would  not 
take  him.  Other  tempting  offers  were  made  but  nothing 
would  do  but  the  "  big  goat,"  and  as  Stanley  was  short  of 
provisions  (the  men  having  squandered  those  the  king  of 
Chumbiri  had  given  them),  and  these  he  must  have,  he 
reluctantly  turned  over  the  big  goat,  and  the  young  king 
departed  highly  delighted.     The  next   day  he   returned 


EXCHANGE   OF  CHAKMS.  553 

bringing  three  ordinary  goats  in  exchange  and  some  pro- 
visions. Soon  the  kings  or  chiefs  of  other  neighboring 
tribes  came  in  bringing  fruit,  and  all  was  harmonious,  and 
treaties  of  amity  were  made  with  all.  The  one  with  Itsi 
was  quite  ceremonious.  Among  other  things  he  gave 
Stanley  a  white  powder  as  a  charm  against  evil,  in 
return  for  which,  the  latter,  with  all  due  gravity,  pre- 
sented him  with  a  half-ounce  vial  full  of  magnesia  as  the 
white  man's  charm.  This  and  blood-brotherhood  closed  the 
formal  proceedings  of  the  treaty-making  powers — quite  as 
important,  in  their  way,  as  similar  councils  in  civilized 
countries. 

Stanley  found  by  observation  that  though  he  had  traveled 
from  Nyangwe  over  one  thousand  two  hundred  miles,  he 
had  descended  not  quite  a  thousand  feet 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

TBIBAL  DIFFERENCES— WHAT  IS  THE  CAt'SE  OF  THEM— THE  CONGO  TRIBES— THE  CANNIBAM 
LEFT  BEHIND— CHANGE  OF  SCENERY— LIVINGSTONE  FALLS— A.  WILD  STRETCH  OF  WATER— CAR- 
RYING BOATS  OVER  LAND — EXHAUSTING,  SLOW  WORK— A  CANOELOST— STANLEY  FALLS  THIRTY 
FEET— ROCKY  FALLS— A  FEARFUL  SIGHT— KALULU  OVER  THE  FALLS— A  CANOE  SHOOTS  THE 
KALCLU  FALLS  IN  SAFETY— A  THIRD  CANOE  SHOOTS  THE  FALLS  AND  DISAPPEARS— SOUDl'S 
STRANGE  STORY— MORE  RAPIDS— DIFFICULTIES  INCREASE— NARROW  ESCAPE  OF  STANLEY— JOY 
AT  HIS  DELIVERANCE— FOUR  CATARACTS  IN  SIGHT— STRANGE  MUSIC— LESS  THAN  A  MILE  A  DAY 
—THE  BIG  CATARACT— SCALING  A  MOUNTAIN  ONE  THOUSAND  FEET  HIGH— ASTONISHMENT  OF 
THE  NATIVES. 

IT  is  a  little  singular,  that  in  this  age  of  inquiry  and 
persistent  effort  to  get  at  the  cause  of  things,  no  one 
has  yet  attempted  to  explain  the  reason  of  tribal  differences. 
Aborigines  occupying  the  same  parallels  of  latitude  and 
longitude,  subject  to  the  same  influences  of  climate,  living 
on  the  same  diet,  are  different  in  color,  features,  and 
more  than  all,  in  disposition.  The  real,  or  supposed  influ- ' 
ences,  that  lie  at  the  bottom  of  the  different  races,  do  not 
apply  here.  Difference  of  origin,  of  climate,  of  food,  all 
these  must  have  great  effect  in  changing  color,  features  and 
character,  and  hence,  to  a  certain  extent,  explain  how  such 
distinct  nationalities  exist,  but  not  in  the  least  account  for 
tribal  differences,  where  all  these  are  the  same,  and 
where  there  are  not  even  barriers  of  mountains  and  rivers 
separating  them.  Why  should  our  western  Indian  tribes, 
roaming  over  the  same  prairies,  living  on  the  same  food, 
and  similar  in  all  their  mode  of  life,  be  yet  so  different  in 
form,  feature  and  disposition  ? 

Is  there  really  no  way  of  getting  a  satisfactory,  true  ex- 
planation of  all  this? 

So  in  A&ica,  Stanley  crossed  the  continent  in  the  same 

554 


TRIBAL   DIFFERENCES.  555 

general  range  of  latitude.  The  savages  hie  met  were  all 
dwellers  of  the  equatorial  region ;  hence,  lived  in  the  same 
climate,  using  the  same  food,  dressing  in  the  same  way, 
and  living  the  same  life,  and  yet  as  dissimilar  as  different 
nationalities.  If  any  educational  influences  had  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  them,  one  could  understand  this,  but 
none  have  been  exerted.  These  same  tribal  differences 
Stanley  found  on  the  Congo.  Fierce  cannibals  and  gentle 
agricultural  people  were  living  side  by  side.  Suspicious, 
faithless  men,  differing  very  little  from  the  better  class  of 
monkeys,  lived  neighbors  to  tribes  unsuspicious  and 
trustful,  and  wonderfully  advanced  in  the  art  of  me- 
chanism. Here  at  the  falls,  which  he  named  "Stanley 
Falls,"  the  natives  were  suspicious,  faithless,  cruel,  and 
now  when  he  reaches  the  Livingstone  Falls,  he  finds  them 
hospitable,  kjnd  and  trusting.  When  this  difference  bursts 
on  him  practically,  he  feels  it  sensibly,  but  philosophically 
dismisses  it  with  the  simple  remark,  such  "is  the  effect  of 
trade."  We  cannot  accept  this  as  any  explanation  at  all, 
for  there  was  no  trade  with  the  outside  world,  and  they 
showed  the  same  kindly  natures  before  he  commenced 
trading  with  them. 

The  only  evidence  of  their  connection  with  civilized  life 
was  that  they  had  muskets,  and  yet  the  very  first  tribe 
which  possessed  them  was  the  most  fierce,  implacable  and 
relentless  he  met  with.  This  ethnological  question  has 
never  yet  been  settled. 

Still  it  is  not  singular  that  Stanley  just  then  did  not 
trouble  himself  with  it.  As  long  as  the  difference  existed 
and  was  now  in  his  favor  he  was  content,  as  well  he  might 
be. 

The  friendly  natives  at  the  head  of  these  falls  assured 
him  that  he  had  passed  the  cannibal  country,  but  they 
differed  materially  as  to  the  number  of  falls  below — one 


556  THE   KAPIDS   PASSED. 

making  tliem  three  and  another  a  half  a  dozen  or  more. 
No  matter  whether  they  were  few  or  many,  they  had  got 
to  he  passed,  though  he  dragged  his  canoes  over  lofty 
mountains  to  do  it. 

But  if  the  change  in  the  character  of  the  natives  was 
great,  that  in  the  character  of  the  scenery  and  aspect  of  the 
river  was  no  less  so.  The  wild,  fierce  savages  had  become 
tame,  while  the  gently  flowing  river,  studded  with  green 
islands,  had  become  wild  and  fierce  and  angry.  The 
gradually  descending  plain  was  transformed  into  the 
terrific  gorge,  over  which  hung  beetling  cliffs,  and  the 
placid  current  into  a  roaring  torrent,  dashing  amid  rocks 
and  plunging  over  precipices,  and  filling  the  solitudes  with 
an  ever-angry  voice.  Hostile  savages  were  behind,  but 
hostile  nature  was  before  the  adventurers,  to  whom  there 
would  be  no  rest  till  they  found  the  restless  sea. 

Immediately  before  them  were  two  stretches  of  rapids 
and  then  a  cataract.  The  first  was  a  mere  piece  of  broken 
water  that  was  easily  passed.  Having  no  fear  of  hostile 
natives,  Stanley  leisurely  explored  both  river  and  shore  to 
ascertain  the  best  way  of  getting  around  the  second  rapids. 
The  goods,  asses,  women  and  children  were  taken  overland, 
while  the  boats  were  led  with  hawsers  from  rock  to  rock 
along  the  shore.  Fortunately  not  a  rope  broke,  and  by 
five  o'clock  the  rapids  were  passed  and  all  were  in  camp 
together. 

The  last,  Stanley  declared  to  be  the  wildest  stretch  of 
water  he  had  ever  seen.  For  four  miles  the  river  looked 
as  if  thrown  upward  by  volcanic  action  beneath,  and  at  the 
same  time  swept  by  a  fierce  hurricane  above,  and  all  the 
while  dashing  madly  on  at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles  an  hour. 
Huge  troughs  would  be  formed,  as  if  the  stream  was  yawn- 
ing asunder,  and  then  the  divided  water  would  come  to- 
gether with  a  crash,  sending  up  columns  twenty  feet  high 


MORE   UGLY   EAPIDS.  657 

to  dissolve  iu  foam  and  spray.  The  crash  of  colliding 
waves  and  the  steady  roar  of  the  rapids  were  awful.  It 
was  literally  a  "  hell  of  waters."  The  land  carriage  around 
this  wild  stretch  was  a  rough  piece  of  work.  Paths  of 
brushwood  were  made,  and  the  canoes  slowly  hauled  up 
rocky  heights  and  slid  down  into  deep  gullies — the  women 
and  children  toiling  after.  They  were  nearly  four  days 
getting  around  this  four  miles  of  impassable  rapids.  The 
men  were  fainting  for  want  of  food,  when  smooth  water 
was  at  last  reached.  This,  however,  continued  but  a  short 
distance,  when  they  had  to  take  to  land  again,  and  haul 
their  boats  over  a  rocky  point  for  three-quarters  of  a  mile, 
which  it  took  three  days  to  accomplish.  When  it  is  re- 
membered that  one  of  the  canoes  was  eighty-five,  and 
another  seventy-five  feet  long  and  dug  out  of  a  solid  tree, 
we  can  get  some  conception  of  the  tremendous  effort  it 
required  to  transport  them  over  rocks  and  hills.  When 
smooth  water  was  again  reached,  it  gave  them  only  a  short 
respite.  Stanley,  however,  found  it  necessary  to  halt  and 
give  the  people  rest,  for  the  tremendous  strain  of  the  last 
week  was  telling  fearfully  on  them. 

On  the  2oth  they  found  themselves  once  more  confronted 
by  ugly  rapids.  In  endeavoring  to  lead  the  boats  around 
them,  the  best  canoe  was  dragged  by  the  mere  force  of  the 
current  from  the  hands  of  fifty  men  and  whirled  down  the 
mad  stream  and  dashed  to  pieces.  Toiling  amid  the  rocks 
several  men  got  injured — one  had  his  shoulder  dislocated, 
while  Stanley  fell  into  a  chasm  thirty  feet  deep,  but  for- 
tunately struck  on  his  feet,  and  thus  escaped  with  some 
slight  bruises,  though  he  was  very  much  stunned.  On  the 
27th  they  succeeded  in  getting  past  this  "  cauldron,"  as  it 
was  called,  although  they  narrowly  escaped  losing  their 
largest  canoe.  The  next  day  was  smooth  water  for  only  a 
short  distance,  when  they  came  to  "  Rocky  falls."     These, 


558  A   FATAL  MISTAKE. 

however,  were  passed  with  comparative  ease,  and  two  men 
sent  forward  to  explore.  They  reported,  on  their  return, 
that  ahout  a  mile  below  was  another  cataract,  and  that  at 
its  head  was  an  excellent  camp  in  a  sandy  bay.  Stanley, 
therefore,  determined  to  reach  it  before  dark,  and  so  man- 
ning his  remaining  seventeen  canoes,  he  led  the  way,  hug- 
ging the  shore,  so  as  not  to  get  into  the  suction  of  the  water 
above  the  falls.  All  were  told  to  follow  him,  and  by  no 
means  to  venture  out  into  the  middle  of  the  stream.  Keep- 
ing close  to  the  right  bank,  he  felt  his  way  carefully  on- 
ward, and  at  last  floated  into  the  tranquil  bay,  at  the  head 
of  the  fall.  Three  canoes  followed  him,  and  as  he  was 
waiting  for  the  others  to  come  in,  he  saw,  to  his  horror, 
the  largest  canoe  he  had,  in  midstream,  and  coming 
down  like  a  race-horse.  Kalulu  had  charge  of  this,  and 
deceived  by  the  smooth,  glassy  surface  of  the  stream,  pulled 
out  into  midcurrent.  The  moment  he  was  caught  by  it  his 
doom  and  that  of  the  four  men  with  him  was  sealed. 
There  was  nothing  to  be  done  by  those  on  shore  but  to 
watch  the  swiftly-gliding  boat  till  it  shot  over  the  edge 
of  the  falls  to  disappear  in  the  tumult  below.  Three  of 
the  men  were  Stanley's  especial  favorites,  and  he  felt  their 
loss  keenly.  While  his  eye  was  yet  resting  on  the  spot 
where  they  had  gone  down,  another  canoe  shot  in  sight, 
driving  straight  for  the  falls.  Fortunately,  they  struck 
them  at  the  least  dangerous  point,  and  went  over  safely, 
then  skillfully  working  the  canoe  toward  the  opposite 
shore,  sprang  overboard  and  swam  to  land.  Stanley  im- 
mediately dispatched  his  boat's  crew  up-stream  to  tell  the 
rest  to  hug  the  shore,  and  in  no  case  venture  out  into  the 
stream.  Before  they  reached  the  canoes,  another  one,  with 
only  the  lad  Soudi  in  it,  shot  by,  who  cried  out,  as  he  was 
borne  swiftly  onward,  "  There  is  but  one  God — I  am  lost, 
master,"  and  next  moment  dropped  out  of  sight.     Strange 


A  STRANGE  STOEY.  561 

to  say,  though  the  canoe  was  whirled  ahout  at  the  bottom 
like  a  spinning-top,  it  did  not  sink,  and  was  finally  swept 
out  of  sight  behind  an  island.  The  rest  of  the  canoes 
arrived  safely. 

The  next  day  Stanley  sent  Frank  back  to  bring  over  the 
goods  to  where  he  was  encamped,  while  he  traded  with  the 
natives,  whom  he  found  very  friendly,  and  from  whom  he 
obtained  abundant  provisions.  Resting  here  one  day,  they, 
on  the  1st  of  April,  got  everything  round  the  falls  and 
encamped.  In  the  afternoon,  to  the  surprise  and  joy  of  all, 
young  Soudi  walked  into  camp.  He  had  a  strange  story  to 
tell.  He  was  borne  helplessly  down  the  rapids,  confused  and 
dizzy,  till  at  last  the  boat  drifted  against  a  rock,  when  he 
jumped  out  and  got  on  shore.  Before  he  had  time  to  think 
where  he  was,  he  was  seized  from  behind  and  pinioned,  and 
borne  to  the  top  of  a  mountain  by  two  men,  who  strip]3ed  and 
examined  him  with  great  curiosity.  The  next  day  several  of 
the  tribe  came  to  see  him,  one  of  whom  had  been  in  Stanley's 
camp  when  King  Itsi  visited  it,  and  he  told  them  such  terri- 
ble stories  about  Stanley  and  of  his  gun  that  could  shoot 
all  day,  that  they  became  frightened  and  took  him  back 
to  the  place  where  they  had  found  him,  and  told  him  to 
speak  well  of  them.  The  other  two  men  had  swam  across 
the  river,  a  mile  below,  and  also  joined  the  camp. 

Proceeding  on  down  stream  they  came  to  more  rapids, 
in  passing  which  there  were  many  narrow  escapes.  It 
was  a  succession  of  rapids,  and  while  Stanley  carried  the 
boats  through  them,  Frank  took  the  rest  of  .the  party  and 
goods  overland.  The  former  examined  every  inch  of  the 
way  carefully  before  starting.  Thus  day  after  day  passed, 
always  fighting  the  relentless  river.  Sometimes  the  water 
was  too  rough  to  admit  the  passage  of  the  boats,  and  then 
they  had  to  be  carried  overland.  It  was  slow  and  tedious 
work,  and  but  little  j^rogress  was  made.     The  question  each 


662  LADY   ALICE   EAPIDS. 

one  kept  asking  himself  was,  how  long  will  this  last  and 
when  shall  we  see  smooth  water  again  ? 

Each  day  was  but  the  repetition  of  the  former,  and  if 
"the  natives  had  been  as  hostile  as  those  farther  up  the  river, 
they  could  not  have  got  on  at  all.  The  only  variation  was 
when  the  river  took  some  new  whim  or  the  formation  of 
the  country  required  more  effort  and  new  modes  of  getting 
on.  Thus  one  day  they  undertook  to  lead  the  canoes  by 
hawsers  around  a  rocky  point,  where  the  eddies  set  up 
stream  with  the  strength  and  velocity  of  a  torrent,  so  that 
it  seemed  impossible  to  get  them  down  stream.  To  add  to 
the  difficulty  the  cliffs,  on  the  top  of  which  the  men  with 
the  hawsers  stood,  were  fifty  feet  high,  with  their  jagged 
edges,  sawed  the  ropes  till  they  parted  one  after  an- 
other. 

So  creeping  along  the  shore  to-day,  and  daring  the  mid- 
stream, though  boisterous,  yet  clear  of  rocks,  to-morrow, 
they  kept  on,  hoping  after  the  next  stretch  to  reach  a  quiet 
flowing  river.  The  Lady  Alice  fared  hard  in  this  perilous 
navigation,  and  once  came  near  being  lost.  All  this  time 
the  resources  of  the  expedition  were  being  exhausted,  for 
though  the  natives  were  friendly,  everything  had  to  be 
paid  for,  and  it  was  not  difficult  to  answer  the  question 
"  how  long  would  their  currency  last  ?" 

The  next  rapids  they  came  to  Stanley  named  the  "Lady 
Alice  Rapids,"  because  we  suppose  both  he  and  the  boat 
escaped,  almost  by  a  miracle,  sharing  the  same  fate  in  the 
wild  ^nd  mad  waters  of  the  Livingstone.  The  cables 
lashed  to  bow  and  stern,  to  let  the  boat  down,  parted,  or 
were  snatched  from  the  hands  on  shore,  and  away  she 
dashed  down  the  foaming  torrent.  Above,  the  naked 
cliffs  rose  three  hundred  feet  high — around  boiled  and 
tossed  the  tumultuous  waters,  and  certain  destruction 
seemed  to  await  the  man  who  had  triumphed  over  so  many 


AN   OUTBURST   OF   GRATITUDE.  663 

obstacles,  and  at  last  was  nearing  the  goal  of  his  ambition. 
The  Arabs,  whose  life  depended  on  his  life,  were  in  despair 
— their  master  was  gone — there  was  no  one  left  to  lead 
them  out  of  this  strange  wilderness.  Nothing  but  the 
coolness  of  Stanley  saved  him  and  his  crew.  Watching 
every  change  in  the  flow  of  the  water — resigning  himself 
to  the  wild  will  of  the  wild  waters,  when  struggling  was 
useless — taking  advantage  of  every  favorable  change  of 
the  current,  and  bidding  his  men  row  for  life  at  the  right 
time,  he  at  length  reached  shore,  and  at  once  sent  messen- 
gers to  his  despairing  camp  to  teJl  them  he  was  safe.  He 
knew,  and  they  knew,  that  all  their  lives  hung  on  his.  He 
had  had  a  narrow  escape,  and  the  natives  on  shore,  as  they 
watched  his  boat  flung  about  like  a  cockle-shell  in  the 
boiling  surge,  looked  upon  him  as  lost. 

If  Stanley  wanted  any  new  proof  of  the  afiection  of  his 
Arabs  for  him,  he  had  it  now.  He  had  been  only  able, 
after  his  fierce  struggle  with  the  rapids,  and  being  carried, 
in  the  meantime,  over  one  fall,  to  reach  land  at  last  two 
miles  below  his  camp,  where  he  was  looked  upon  as  lost. 
When,  therefore,  the  message  was  received  from  him  that 
he  was  alive  and  safe,  they  streamed  forth  in  one  confused 
mass,  and  hastening  down  the  river,  came  in  a  long,  strag- 
gling line  in  sight  of  Stanley,  waving  their  arms  on  high, 
shouting  words  of  welcome  and  overwhelming  him  with 
their  expressions  of  glad  joy.  This  involuntary  outburst 
of  feeling  and  gratitude  that  their  "  master"  was  safe,  was 
worth  tenfold  over  all  the  suffering  and  peril  he  had  en- 
dured. It  is  strange,  when  such  momentous  results  hang 
on  a  single  life,  how  we  go  on  as  though  nothing  dej)ended 
upon  it  till  the  moment  we  are  losing  it  comes. 

The  men,  women  and  children  had  joined  in  this  grand 
exodus  to  congratulate  Stanley  on  his  deliverance  from 
what  appeared  certain  death,  and  the  men  now  returned 


564  TREMENDOUS  CATARACTS. 

to  bring  up  the  goods  to  this  point  where  the  camp  was 
pitched.  Not  twenty  rods  from  it  the  Nikenke  Kiver 
came  foaming,  tumbling  into  the  Livingstone  from  a  preci- 
pice one  thousand  feet  high,  with  a  terrific  roar  and  rum- 
ble. Almost  as  near,  another  tributary  dashed  over  a  ledge 
four  hundred  feet  high,  while  just  above  was  the  wild 
rapids  he  had  just  passed,  and  just  below  another  stretch 
of  swift  and  tumbling  water.  The  din  of  these  surround- 
ing cataracts  made  a  fearful,  strange  music  in  these  myste- 
rious solitudes,  and  awakened  strange  feelings  in  Stanley, 
as  he  lay  and  listened  and  wondered  what  would  come 
next. 

The  sharp  crash  of  the  near  cataract  tumbling  from  its 
height  of  a  thousand  feet,  the  low  rumble  of  the  lower  fall 
and  the  deep  boom  of  the  mighty  river  made  a  grand 
diapason  there  in  the  wilds  of  Central  Africa.  West  from 
the  great  lakes,  the  continent  seemed  to  stretch  in  one  vast 
plateau,  across  which  the  river  moved  in  placid  strength, 
its  gently  sweeping  current,  parted  with  beautiful  islands, 
that  filled  the  air  with  perfume  exhaled  from  countless 
flowers  and  tropical  plants,  and  making  a  scene  of  loveli- 
ness that  intoxicated  the  senses. 

But  all  this  was  marred  by  the  presence  of  blood-thirsty 
cannibals,  whose  war-drums  and  savage  cries  filled  this 
world  of  beauty  with  terrific  sounds  and  nameless  fears. 
But  the  moment  the  stream  reached  the  edge  of  this  plateau, 
where  man  seemed  to  become  more  human,  it  rolled  into 
cataracts  and  rapids,  down  a  steep  incline,  till  it  came  to 
the  sea. 

Canoes  were  upset  and  lost,  and  men  barely  saved  from 
death,  by  expert  swimming,  during  these  fearful  days,  and 
yet  Stanley  could  get  no  reliable  information  from  the 
natives  how  far  down  this  remorseless  stretch  of  water 
extended.     This  terrible  struggle,  which  the  party  under- 


THE  SUMMIT   EEACHED.  565 

went,  and  the  exhausting  nature  of  their  work  may  be 
faintly  imagined  when  it  is  stated  that  for  thirty-seven 
consecutive  days  they  made  less  than  a  mile  a  day.  It 
was  a  constant  succession  of  rapids  from  the  middle  of 
March  to  the  latter  part  of  April. 

At  length,  on  the  22d,  they  came  to  the  "  big  cataract," 
called  by  the  natives  Inkisi,  which  Stanley  fondly  believed 
would  be  the  last.  The  table-land  here  is  one  thousand 
feet  high,  and  the  natives  occupying  it  flocked  into  Stan- 
ley's camp,  curious  to  know  how  he  was  to  get  his  canoes 
past  the  falls.  When  he  told  them  that  he  was  going  to 
drag  them  over  that  table-land  one  thousand  feet  high, 
they  looked  at  him  in  speechless  astonishment.  His  own 
men  were  thunderstruck  when  he  announced  to  them  his 
determination.  But  they  had  got  so  accustomed  to  believe 
that  he  could  do  anything  he  resolved  to  do,  that  they 
silently  acquiesced.  The  natives,  as  they  looked  at  the 
heavy  canoes  and  then  on  the  lofty  height,  with  its  steep, 
craggy  ascent,  took  their  departure  and  began  to  climb 
back  to  their  homes  to  secure  their  property,  for,  they 
said,  if  the  white  man  intended  to  fly  his  boats  over  the 
mountains,  they  did  not  know  what  terrible  things  might 
next  happen. 

Having  settled  on  the  undertaking,  Stanley  immediately 
set  to  work  to  carry  it  out,  and  the  first  day  built  a  road 
nearly  a  mile  long.  The  next  day  the  Lady  Alice  and  a 
small  canoe  w^ere  resting  on  the  high  summit.  The  work 
was  done  so  quietly  and  without  any  disastrous  results  to 
life  and  property,  that  the  native  chiefs  were  dumb  with 
admiration  and  offered  to  bring  six  hundred  men  next  day 
to  help  haul  up  the  heavy  canoes.  They  kept  their  word, 
and  soon  boats  and  baggage  were  in  camp  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain.  Sending  off  a  party  ten  miles  ahead  to  prepare 
the  natives  for  his  coming,  Stanley  took  the  women  and 


566  FAVORABLE   EVIDENCES. 

children,  and  goods  and  boat's  crew  on  to  the  next  tribe  to 
make  a  camp  near  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of  exploring 
the  defile  through  which  he  was  to  work  his  way. 

He  had  found  many  articles  of  English  make,  and 
dishes,  etc.,  among  the  natives,  showing  that  he  was  ap- 
proaching the  coast  from  which  these  must  have  been 
obtained.  They  had  not,  however,  been  brought  there  by 
traders,  but  had  worked  their  way  up  from  market  to 
market  along  the  river.  It  was  encouraging,  nevertheless, 
to  the  members  of  the  expedition,  who  were  getting  worn 
out,  while  disease  prevailed  to  a  large  extent  and  threatened 
to  increase.  Still  they  might  be  a  great  way  off  from  the 
coast  yet,  in  time  if  not  in  distance,  if  they  continued  to 
make  but  one  mile  a  day.  Hence  Stanley  had  to  be  very 
economical  in  everything,  especially  in  the  use  of  meat — 
though  the  constant  and  terrible  mental  and  physical 
strain  on  him  made  it  necessary  that  he  should  have 
the  most  nourishing  food.  For  lack  of  this  in  a  simple 
form,  he  concocted  a  dish  out  of  vegetables,  fruit  and  oil, 
which  proved  a  great  success. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIIL 

LAST  INSrnttlCTIONS — A  MAGNIFICENT  FOREST— STANLEY  THINKS  OF  DCG-OUTS  AT  HOME— RE- 
SOLVES TO  BUILD  CANOES— THE  FIKST  TREE  FELLED — TWO  CANOES  FINISHED — THE  BOATS  AND 
EXPEDITION  MOVINa  OVERLAND — ARABS  STEALING — REDEEMING  A  CAPTIVE  HELD  FOR  THEFT 
—CANOES  OVER  THE  MOUNTAIN — REST- THIRD  CANOE  BUILT — DISPIRITING  NEWS— NATIVE 
SUPERSTITION— A  NARROW  ESCAPE— LAUNCHING  OF  THE  THIRD  CANOE— RAINS— RISE  OF  THE 
EIVER— STORMS— THE  EXPEDITION  MOVES  OVER  THE  MOUNTAIN— FRAN'S  TAKES  THE  CANOES 
BY  THE  EIVER— MOWWA  FALLS — A  TERRIFIC  SCENE — PASSING  THE  MOWWA  FALLS — CLEDI 
CAUGHT  JN  THEFT— HIS  SENTENCE — A  TOUCHING  SCENE— ATONEMENT— FORGIVENESS — CHRIS- 
TIAN PRINCIPLES  IN  HEATHENS — A  STRANGE  SUPERSTITION— THE  NATIVES  DEMAND  THAT 
STANLEY'S  NOTE-BOOK  BE  BURNED  VP — A  PAINFUL  DILEMMA — A  SUCCESSFUL  STRATAGEM — 
SHAKESPEARE  BURNED — FRANK'S  LAST  NIGHT  WITH  STANLEY. 

IT  was  the  29tli  of  April  when  Stanley  gave  his  last 
instructions  to  his  Arab  chiefs  about  getting  the  canoes 
down  the  mountain  to  Nzabi,  the  home  of  the  next  tribe 
west.  On  his  way  he  entered  a  magnificent  forest — the 
tall  and  shapely  trees  of  which  reminding  him  of  his  early 
wanderings  in  the  wilds  of  Arkansas  and  on  our  western 
frontiers.  It  was  not  strange,  while  looking  at  them,  that 
he  should  be  reminded  of  the  "dug-outs"  of  the  Indians 
which  he  had  so  often  seen,  and  that  the  thought  should 
occur  to  him  to  make  some  canoes,  to  take  the  place  of 
those  which  he  had  lost  in  the  passage  of  the  rapids  and 
falls  above.  It  seems  as  if  his  early  life  had  prepared  him 
especially  for  all  the  contingencies  that  were  to  occur  in  his 
long  and  varied  explorations  in  Africa.  After  thinking 
the  matter  over  a  short  time,  he  resolved  that  the  boats 
should  be  built,  and  having  obtained  permission  of  the 
chief  of  the  district,  he  at  once  commenced  operations. 
The  first  tree  selected  was  more  than  three  feet  in  diameter 
and  run  sixty  feet  straight  before  it  reached  a  limb.     As 

567 


068  PROPENSITY   TO    STEAL. 

soon  as  it  was  prone  on  the  ground  the  men  were  set  to 
work  in  sections  upon  it,  and  in  a  week  had  it  finished.  In 
a  week  more  another  was  completed,  measuring  forty-five 
feet' in  length  and  eighteen  inches  deep.  All  this  time  the 
canoes  were  advancing  over  the  land  at  the  rate  of  a  little 
more  than  a  third  of  a  mile  a  day,  and  finally  reached 
camp  the  day  before  the  second  boat  was  finished. 

Things,  however,  had  gone  badly  in  the  camp  on  the 
mountain-top  after  Stanley  left,  for  the  Arabs,  following 
their  apparently  natural  propensity,  began  to  steal.  One 
man,  who  had  been  caught  in  the  act,  was  seized  and  made  a 
prisoner  by  the  natives,  who  resolved  to  keep  him  as  a  slave. 
Stanley  spent  an  entire  day  negotiating  for  his  redemption, 
and  finally  had  to  give  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  worth 
of  cloth  to  get  him  released.  It  was  plain  that  he  could 
not  afford  to  redeem  many  men  at  this  price,  and  he  dis- 
tinctly told  them  that  if,  after  this,  any  of  them  were 
caught  stealing,  they  would  be  left  in  the  hands  of  the 
natives,  to  be  held  as  slaves  for  life.  A  terrible  punish- 
ment, yet,  as  it  proved,  not  great  enough  to  deter  them 
from  committing  the  same  crime  afterwards. 

The  labor  of  the  men  engaged  in  hauling  the  canoes 
over  the  high  mountain  had  been  so  great,  that  Stanley 
felt  that  some  days  of  rest  were  demanded  to  recuperate 
them.  But  as  idleness  was  always  the  fruitful  source  of  all 
kinds  of  evil  with  the  Arabs,  he  determined  to  keep  the 
men  who  had  hewed  out  the  two  boats  still  at  work,  and 
set  them  to  making  a  third  canoe. 

The  chief  of  this  district  now  informed  Stanley,  greatly 
to  his  surprise  and  disappointment,  that  there  were  five 
falls  immediately  below  him,  while  how  many  lay  between 
these  and  the  sea  no  one  could  tell.  No  matter ;  he  must 
still  move  on,  and,  for  the  present,  cling  to  the  river  on 
account  of  the  sick,  if  for  nothing  else. 


THE   LIVINGSTONE   LAUNCHED.  569 

On  the  18th,  he  sent  off  a  man  to  get  some  axes  repaired 
by  a  native  blacksmith.  While  the  latter  was  engaged  in 
the  work,  a  spark  flew  from  the  anvil  against  the  body  of 
one  of  his  children  playing  near  by,  burning  him 
slightly.  The  enraged  man  asserted  that  the  accident  was 
owing  to  a  wicked  charm  of  the  stranger,  and,  running 
out,  beat  the  war-drum,  at  which  the  excited  natives  as- 
sembled in  a  great  fury,  and  the  poor  Arab  was  in  danger 
of  immediate  immolation,  when  the  chief  happened  to 
arrive  and  saved  him. 

On  May  22d,  the  great  teak  canoe,  the  third  which  had 
been  built,  and  w^hich  Stanley  named  Livingstone,  was 
launched  in  the  creek  just  above  its  entrance  into  the 
river,  amid  the  shouts  of  the  natives.  It  could  carry 
forty-six  people.  As  far  as  means  of  transportation  was 
concerned,  Stanley  was  now  at  ease — but  would  there  ever 
be  a  peaceful  river  on  which  these  twelve  canoes  could 
float? 

It  was  now  the  22d  of  May,  and  since  the  24th  of  Feb- 
ruary there  had  been  forty  rainy  days,  and  hence  for  the 
month  they  had  been  working  their  slow,  tedious  way  over 
the  ridges  and  mountains,  the  river  had  been  continually 
rising,  and  now,  more  than  eleven  feet  above  its  usual 
height,  was  rolling  in  a  grand,  resistless  flood  through  the 
gorges.  Thunder  and  lightning  had  accompanied  the 
storms,  lighting  up  the  wild  river  and  drowning  its  fierce 
roar,  and  drenching  the  wanderers,  till  it  seemed  as  if 
heaven  itself  was  leagued  with  the  natives  and  the  cata- 
racts to  drive  them  to  despair  and  to  destruction.  The 
river  was  still  rising,  and  the  rush  and  roar  of  the  waters 
were  only  less  terrific  than  the  deafening  thunder-peals 
that  shook  the  chasm  in  which  they  were  confined.  Still 
they  must  move  on,  even  though  it  should  be  to  greater 
horrors  and  more  desperate  conditions  and  a  darker  fate. 


570  SURVEYING   A   TERRIFIC  SCENE. 

So  on  the  23d  of  May  tliey  set  out,  and  carrying  around  a 
short  fall  in  the  creek  on  the  banks  of  which  they  had 
been  encamping,  and  ascending  a  mountain,  pushed  slowly 
on  for  three  miles  over  a  plateau — ^the  sick  and  suffering 
complaining  bitterly,  while  the  well  were  almost  ready  to 
give  out  and  die  then  and  there  on  the  shores  of  the  river. 
Every  fall  was  expected  to  be  the  last,  and  yet  proved  the 
forerunner  of  a  worse  one  to  come. 

From  this  creek  Stanley  led  the  expedition — those  that 
could  walk — to  the  head  of  the  Mowwa  Falls.  Frank, 
whose  lame  foot  did  not  permit  him  to  walk,  took  the  Lady 
Alice,  followed  by  the  canoes,  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
creek,  to  coast  carefully  along  down  the  river  to  the  same 
camping-place.  In  the  meantime,  Stanley,  who  had  arrived 
first,  took  a  long  and  anxious  survey  of  the  terrific  scene 
before  him.  At  the  head  of  the  falls,  where  he  stood  on  a 
grassy  plot,  a  ledge  of  rock  twelve  feet  high  ran  straight 
across  the  river  like  a  wall  for  a  mile  and  a  quarter  and 
then  stopped.  From  the  end  to  the  opposite  shore  it  was 
a  clear  space  of  a  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
through  which  the  compressed  river  rushed  with  a  strength 
and  shout  and  fury  that  were  appalling.  This  wall  of  rock, 
however,  was  not  solid — here  and  there  it  w^as  cut  through 
as  if  by  some  mighty  blow,  making  separate  channels  that 
had  a  fall  of  twelve  feet.  Below,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  treeless  mountains  arose  nearly  a  mile  into  the 
heavens,  while  halfway  up  from  the  mad  river,  that  tore 
with  the  sound  of  thunder  along  their  bases,  perpendicular 
cliffs  stood  walling  in  this  awful  embodiment  of  power. 

A  scene  of  more  utter  desolation  cannot  be  imagined 
than  was  here  presented  to  his  view  in  this  solitary  spot. 
The  camp  seemed  a  mere  speck  amid  these  gigantic  out- 
lines of  mountain  and  river.  As  he  thus  looked  and  lis- 
tened, awe-struck  and  subdued,  he  saw  Frank  in  the  Lady 


A  TBYING  CASE.  571 

Alice  coming  through  the  rapids  at  a  terrific  pace.  This 
was  the  first  time  he  had  attempted  such  a  feat,  and  he  got 
confused  and  was  finally  thrown  into  the  worst  part  of  the 
rapids,  and,  in  his  frantic  struggles  to  release  himself, 
struck  a  rock  and  stove  a  hole  into  the  boat  six  inches 
square.  However,  all  were  landed  in  safety,  though  Stan- 
ley mourned  greatly  over  the  severe  injury  to  his  boat, 
which  thus  far  had  escaped  all  harm.  It  took  him  a 
whole  day  to  repair  it.  Two  days  after,  the  goods  were 
transferred  below  and  the  boats  dropped  carefully  through 
the  ledge  near  the  shore,  where  the  water  was  less  rough, 
and  reached  the  camp  below  the  great  falls  in  safety. 

While  resting  here  there  occurred  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting scenes  of  this  whole  remarkable  journey.  In  the 
transportation  of  goods  over  the  mountains  robberies  had 
been  committed  of  beads,  etc.,  and  now  the  last  man  in  the 
whole  party  Stanley  would  wish  to  have  accused  of  theft 
was  found  guilty — the  noble,  brave,  reliable  and  kind 
Uledi.  True  as  steel  in  the  hour  of  danger,  quiet,  obedient, 
thinking  nothing  of  his  life  if  Stanley  asked  him  to  risk 
it,  he  had  yet  stolen— not  things  of  ordinary  value,  but 
that  on  Avhich  their  very  existence  might  depend.  Cloth 
was  getting  so  plenty  among  the  natives  that  its  value  was 
very  much  decreased,  but  beads  were  worth  ten  times  their 
weight  in  gold,  and  these  Uledi  had  stolen  and  hidden  in 
his  mat.  Of  course  this  must  be  stopped  at  all  hazards 
and  at  whatever  sacrifice,  still  Stanley  would  almost  as  soon 
have  lost  his  hand  as  to  leave  Uledi,  as  he  threatened  he 
would  the  next  man  he  found  stealing,  in  the  hands  of  the 
savages  as  a  slave  forever.  He  therefore  called  the  chiefs 
together  and  made  them  a  speech,  in  which  he  clearly 
showed  them  that  their  lives  depended  on  putting  a  stop  to 
theft,  for  if  they  were  left  without  anything  to  buy  pro- 
visions with,  they  all  would  inevitably  perish  of  famine 


572  "beat  him  just  a  little." 

before  they  reached  -the  sea,  and  asked  them  what  should 
be  done  with  Uledi,  on  whom  stolen  goods  had  been  found. 
The  principal  chief  would  not  answer  for  some  time,  but 
being  urged  to  give  his  opinion  said  at  last :  It  was  very 
hard;  seeing  it  was  Uledi.  Had  it  been  anybody  else  he 
declared  he  would  vote  to  pitch  him  into  the  river,  but 
now  he  gave  his  vote  for  flogging.  The  rest  of  the  chiefs 
concurred  with  him.  Stanley  then  turned  to  the  boat's 
crew,  of  which  Uledi  was  coxswain,  and  by  whom  he  was 
dearly  loved.  The  principal  one  and  the  most  relied  on, 
the  watchman  of  the  boat,  replied,  "Ah,  it  is  a  hard  ques- 
tion, master.  He  is  like  our  elder  brother;  but,  as  the 
fathers  of  the  people  have  spoke,  be  it  so;  yet,  for  our 
sakes,  master,  beat  him  just  a  little^  He  next  accosted 
Zaidi,  by  whose  side  Uledi  had  clung  all  night  in  the 
midst  of  the  cataract,  and  had  saved  his  life  by  risking  his 
own.  He  replied,  "  Remember  it  is  Uledi,  master."  Next 
he  addressed  Uledi's  brother,  who  cried  "Spare  Uledi, 
but,  if  he  must  be  flogged,  give  me  half  of  it,  I  shall  not 
feel  it  if  it  is  for  Uledi."  Last  of  all  he  asked  the  poor 
culprit's  cousin,  when  he  replied'  in  a  speech  that  the 
London  Athenaeum,  in  quoting  it,  said  would  stand  beside 
that  of  Jeanie  Dean's,  when  pleading  for  her  sister.  The 
poor  fellow  asked,  "  Will  the  master  give  his  slave  liberty 
to  speak?"  "Yes,"  replied  Stanley.  He  then  came 
forward,  and  kneeling  before  him  and  clasping  his  feet 
with  his  hands,  said :  "  The  master  is  wise.  All  things 
that  happen  he  writes  in  a  book.  Each  day  there  is  some- 
thing written.  We  black  men  know  nothing,  neither 
have  we  any  memory.  What  we  saw  yesterday  is  to- 
day forgotten.  Yet  the  master  forgets  nothing.  Perhaps, 
if  the  master  will  look  into  his  book,  he  may  see  some- 
thing in  it  about  Uledi.  How  Uledi  behaved  on  Lake 
Tanganika ;  how  he  rescued  Zaidi  from  the  cataract ;  how 


A   TOUCHING   APPEAL.  573 

he  has  saved  many  men,  whose  names  I  cannot  remember, 
from  the  river — Bill  Ah,  Mabruki,  Kom-kusi  and  others. 
How  he  worked  harder  on  the  canoe  than  any  three  men ; 
how  he  has  been  the  first  to  listen  to  your  voice  always ; 
how  he  has  been  the  father  of  the  boat-boys.  With 
Uledi,  master,  the  boat-boys  are  good  and  ready,  without 
him  they  are  nothing.  Uledi  is  Shumari's  brother.  If 
Uledi  is  bad,  Shumari  is  good.  Uledi  is  my  cousin.  If, 
as  the  chiefe  say,  Uledi  should  be  punished,  Shumari 
says  he  will  take  half  of  the  punishment ;  then  give  Saywa 
the  other  half,  and  set  Uledi  free.     Saywa  has  spoken." 

All  this  was  uttered  in  a  low,  humble  tone,  with  his  head 
bowed  to  Stanley's  feet,  Stanley  could  not  resist  such  an 
appeal,  and  s^id:  "Very  well,  Uledi,  by  the  voice  of 
the  people,  is  condemned;  but  as  Shumari  and  Saywa 
have  promised  to  take  the  punishment  on  themselves, 
Uledi  is  set  free  and  Shumari  and  Saywa  are  par- 
doned." The  moment  the  poor  fellow  was  set  free,  he 
stepped  forward  and  said :  "  Master,  it  was  not  Uledi  who 
stole — it  was  the  devil  which  entered  into  his  heart."  This 
touching  scene  is  given,  not  merely  for  its  pathos,  but 
because  these  untutored  natives,  here  in  the  wilds  of  Africa, 
illustrated  the  principles  that  lie  at  the  very  foundation  of  the 
Christian  religion.  First,  they  recognized  the  great  funda- 
mental doctrine  of  atonement — of  expiation — the  suffering 
of  the  innocent  in  the  place  of  the  guilty,  by  which  the 
offender  can  be  pardoned.  In  the  second  j)lace,  Uledi 
uttered  over  again  the  sentiments  of  Paul — When  a  man's 
whole  nature  revolts  at  the  wrong  he  has  done,  and  hates 
himself  for  it,  it  is  not  he  that  commits  it,  but  "  sin  that 
dwelleth  in  him,"  when  he  would  do  good,  evil  was  j^resent 
with  him.  It  was  a  happy  termination  of  the  affair,  for 
it  would  have  been  a  cruel  act  to  have  had  the  noble,  true, 
unselfish  and  brave  Uledi  suffer  the  indignity  of  a  whip. 


574  AN  UNEXPECTED   DILEMMA. 

As  in  God's  arrangement,  forgiveness  here  was  a  severer 
condemnation  of  crime  than  punishment  would  have  been. 

Another  scene  occurred,  while  in  camp,  that  shows  on 
what  an  insignificant,  nay,  ridiculous,  thing  the  fate  of 
a  great  expedition  may  turn.  One  day,  Stanley  being  at 
leisure,  took  out  his  note-book  and  began  to  write,  as  was 
his  custom  when  he  had  a  few  hours  to  himself.  The  na- 
tives, who  flocked  into  camp  in  great  numbers  daily,  noticed 
him  and  began  to  whisper  among  themselves.  The  crowd 
around  him  gradually  increased  and  began  to  be  strangely 
agitated,  as  the  word  "tara  tara"  passed  from  lip  to  lip,  and 
presently,  as  if  seized  by  a  single  impulse,  they  all  ran 
away.  Stanley  merely  observed  the  fact  without  stopping 
to  think  what  the  cause  of  this  sudden  abandonment  of  the 
camp  might  be.  He  therefore  went  on  writing,  when 
suddenly  he  was  startled  by  loud  war-cries  ringing  far  and 
near  over  the  mountain  top,  and,  in  two  hours  after,  saw 
between  five  and  six  hundred  natives  fully  armed  rushing 
down  the  table-land  toward  the  camp.  He  quickly  mus- 
tered his  men  to  be  prepared  for  what  seemed  an  unpro- 
voked attack,  but  determined,  if  possible,  to  avoid  a  collision. 
He  therefore  advanced  toward  them  as  they  drew  near, 
and,  sitting  down  on  the  ground,  in  a  friendly  tone  afeked 
what  it  all  meant  and  why  they  had  come  in  such  a  war- 
like manner  to  their  friends.  A  large  savage,  acting  as 
spokesman,  replied  that  they  had  seen  him  make  marks  on 
some  "tara  tara."  Those  black  lines  he  had  drawn  on 
paper,  he  said,  would  bring  sickness  and  death  and  utter 
ruin  on  the  land,  and  the  people,  and  animals,  unless  the 
book  containing  them  was  burnt  up. 

Here  was  an  unexjDected  dilemma.  He  must  burn  up 
that  note-book  or  fight  these  five  or  six  hundred  armed, 
desperate  savages.  But  that  note-book,  the  gathered  re- 
sults of  nearly  three  years  of  exploration,  was  the  most 


STANLEY   PERPLEXED.  575 

precious  thing  on  earth  to  him.  He  was  astounded  and 
sorely  perplexed  at  the  strange  demand — ^burn  up  that  note- 
book I  He  might  as  well  burn  up  himself.  Even  if  he 
could  remember  his  main  adventures,  he  could  not  recall 
all  the  observations,  plans  of  maps  and  routes,  and  statistics 
of  every  kind  it  contained,  and,  without  which,  the  whole 
expedition  was  a  failure.  No,  he  could  not  give  it  up,  but 
what  then — fight  one  against  four,  all  armed  with  muskets, 
to  retain  it  ?  Suppose  he  could  put  them  to  rout,  it  could 
not  be  done  without  a  serious  loss  of  life  to  himself  as  well 
as  to  them.  But  this  was  not  the  worst  of  it — with  the 
natives  friendly  and  aiding  him  as  they  had  done  and  sup- 
plying him  with  provisions,  it  would  be  almost  a  miracle 
if  he  ever  reached  the  sea-shore ;  but  with  them  hostile, 
even  if  he  could  fight  his  way  through  them,  he  would 
certainly  perish  from  famine,  for  he  could  obtain  no  pro- 
visions, without  which,  he  and  the  book  would  perish 
together.  But,  still,  he  could  not  give  up  that  book,  and 
he  turned  over  in  his  mind  every  conceivable  plan  of 
averting  the  catastrophe.  Finally,  he  told  them  to  wait  a 
moment,  while,  in  the  meantime,  he  stepped  back  to  his 
tent  as  if  to  fetch  it. 

All  at  once  it  occurred  to  him  that  he  might  substitute 
another  book  for  it,  if,  among  his  scant  collection,  he 
could  find  one  at  all  resembling  it.  Turning  them  over, 
he  came  across  a  volume  of  Shakespeare  of  just  about 
the  same  size.  True  the  binding  was  different,  but  those 
savages  knew  as  little  of  the  peculiar  binding  of  a  book  as 
they  did  of  its  contents.  Besides,  it  lay  open  on  Stanley's 
knee  when  they  saw  it,  and  they  observed  only  the  black 
lines.  However,  the  attempt  to  pass  it  off  on  these  wild 
savages  for  the  real  book  was  worth  making.  So  taking  it 
in  his  hand,  he  walked  back  to  where  they  stood  with 
ferocious  looks  waiting  for  his  determination,  and  handing 


576       POCOKE  UNUSUALLY  EXHILAEATED. 

it  to  them,  told  them  to  take  it.  No,  they  would  not  touch 
it,  he  must  burn  it.  Well,  Stanley  said,  he  would  do  any- 
thing to  please  such  good  friends  as  they  were.  So  together 
they  went  to  a  camp-fire  near  by,  and  solemnly  consigned 
poor  Shakespeare  to  the  flames. 

The  natives  were  delighted  at  this  evidence  of  Stanley's 
good-will,  and  became  faster  friends  than  ever.  What  he 
would  have  done  had  it  come  to  the  issue — ^burn  that  note- 
book or  fight — ^he  does  not  tell  us. 

The  river  had  been  thoroughly  explored  for  two  miles 
below  where  they  were  encamped  to  the  head  of  Zinga 
Falls.  It  was  a  rough,  wild  stretch  of  water,  but  it  was 
thought  it  might  be  passed  safely  by  using  great  caution 
and  keeping  out  of  the  midstream  rapids.  At  all  events, 
Stanley  had  determined  to  try  it  first  himself  in  his  own 
boat — a  resolution  that  nearly  cost  him  his  life.  The  next 
day,  the  3d  of  June,  the  attempt  was  to  be  made,  and 
Frank  passed  the  evening  in  Stanley's  tent  in  great  spirits, 
talking  and  singing  songs  of  merry  old  England.  He  was 
always  singing,  and  most  of  the  time  religious  songs  which 
he  had  learned  at  home.  The  wilds  of  Africa  had  equal- 
ized these  men,  and  they  held  sweet  communion  together 
this  last  night  on  the  banks  of  the  wild  river.  Frank 
seemed  unusually  exhilarated,  little  dreaming,  alas,  that 
the  next  night  his  lifeless  body  would  be  tossing  amid  the 
rocks  that  lined  the  bed  of  the  fierce  torrent  below — ^his 
merry  songs  all  hushed — nevermore  to  while  away  the 
weary  hours  in  this  dreary  solitude  of  Africa  or  brighten 
the  life  of  his  England  home. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

THE  DEATH  OF  FEANK  POCOKE. 

ELEVATED  FROM  THE  PLACE  OF  SERVANT  TO  THAT  OF  FRIEND — PROPOSES  TO  TOSS  UP  TO  DETER- 
MINE WHETHER  THEY  SHALL  FOLLOW  THE  LUALABA  TO  THE  SEA  OR  NOT— CHANCE  DECIDES 
THEY  SHALL— POCOKE'S  SHOES  BECOME  WORN  OUT  IN  THE  FOREST— IS  MADE  LAME— PASSAGE 
OF  THE  MOWVTA  FALLS— STANLEY'S  PERIL— POCOKE'S  FATAL  SELF-WILL— HIS  DEATH— THE  SIGHT 
THAT  STUNNED  STANLEY— A  GLOOMY  NIGHT  FOR  HIM— POCOKE'S  CHARACTER. 

FRANK  POCOKE,  who,  as  stated  previously,  joined 
the  expedition  under  Stanley  as  a  servant,  and  whose 
brother  had  fallen  at  what  proved  to  be  the  mere  outset  of 
the  real  main  expedition,  had,  by  his  intelligence,  geniality, 
ability  and  courage,  and  perhaps  quite  as  much  by  the 
necessity  of  companionship  that  Stanley  felt  the  need  of  in 
that  wild  region,  and  which  only  a  white,  civilized  man 
could  furnish,  had  risen  above  the  position  he  had  taken 
till  Stanley  looked  upon  him  more  as  a  friend  than  as  a 
servant.  This  was  natural ;  he  was  the  only  man  he  could 
talk  with  in  English ;  the  only  man  who  had  the  taste  and 
manners  of  civilized  life ;  the  only  one  who  in  the  long 
halt  could  in  any  way  be  his  companion ;  and,  more  than 
all,  the  only  man  who  he  knew  positively  would  stand  by 
him  in  the  hour  of  danger  to  the  last,  and  fall,  if  fall  they 
must,  side  by  side.  Whoever  else  might  prove  false  in 
these  vast  untrodden  solitudes,  Frank  Pocoke,  he  well 
knew,  would  not  be  one  of  them.  Under  such  circum- 
stances and  conditions,  Stanley  would  not  have  been  the 
true  man  he  is  if  he  had  not  lifted  the  servant  up  to  the 
place  of  friend,  and  he  did.     It  was  therefore  but  natural 

577 


578  A   TOSS-UP   FOR  A   LIFE. 

that  in  the  long  mental  discussion  at  Ziangwe  as  to  whether 
he  should  return  or  choose  some  other  route  than  through 
the  hostile  tribes  whose  territory  the  waters  of  the  Lualaba 
washed,  or  push  on  at  all  hazards  by  following  its  current 
to  the  sea,  that  he  should  take  his  quondam  servant  into 
his  confidence  and  they  should  together  talk  over  all  the 
probabilities  and  possibilities  of  the  different  routes  to  be 
adopted.  In  another  place  we  have  shown  what  those 
difficulties  were,  and  what  the  real  or  imaginable  obstacles 
were  that  confronted  Stanley  if  he  determined  to  follow  the 
Lualaba  at  all  hazards  to  the  sea. 

In  speaking  of  the  death  of  young  Pocoke,  we  wish  to 
show  what  influence  he  had  at  last  in  fixing  the  determi- 
nation that  led  to  his  own  death  and  Stanley's  fame  as  an 
explorer.  One  day,  while  Stanley  was  discussing  with 
Pocoke  the  wisest  course  to  pursue,  the  latter  said :  "  Mr. 
Stanley,  suppose  we  toss  up,  to  determine  whether  we  shall 
follow  the  Lualaba  as  far  as  the  Lowra,  and  then  strike  off 
for  Monbruto,  or  follow  it  to  the  sea  ?" 

Stanley,  who  had  become  almost  indifferent  as  to  whether 
one  course  or  the  other  would  end  his  life,  agreed,  and  a 
toss-up  was  made,  and  the  result  being  on  the  side  of  fol- 
lowing the  river  to  the  sea,  the  drawing  of  straws  was 
resorted  to.  Three  trials  of  chances  were  made,  and  the 
decision  of  fate,  as  proposed  by  Pocoke,  was  to  follow  the 
river  to  the  sea.  He  little  thought  that  accidental  toss  was 
a  toss-up  for  his  own  life,  and  that  so  trivial  an  affair  settled 
his  fate  forever.  We  know  what  was  Stanley's  final  de- 
cision, and  though  he  does  not  acknowledge  that  this  trial 
by  chances  had  any  effect  on  his  final  determination,  the 
experience  of  human  nature,  since  the  world  began,  proves 
that  it  must  have  had.  Even  Napoleon,  who  believed  that 
Providence  was  on  the  side  of  the  strong  battalions,  had  an 
equally  strong  belief  in  his  "  star."     While  it,  doubtless. 


SHOES  WEARING  OUT.  579 

did  have  more  or  less  influence  on  Stanley,  it  did  not 
weaken  his  faith  in  the  "  strong  battalions,"  which  was,  in 
his  case,  a  wise  provision,  so  far  as  he  could  make  it, 
against  'all  possible  and  probable  contingencies. 

We  have  said  thus  much  to  show  the  real  relations  that 
Frank  Pocoke  at  last  sustained  to  the  expedition.  In  the 
long  and  terrible  march  through  the  gloomy  forest  after 
leaving  Zywague,  and  before  finally  launching  on  the 
Lualaba,  to  quit  it  no  more  till  they  reached  the  sea,  or 
lay  at  rest  forever  on  its  solitary  banks,  Pocoke's  shoes 
had  become  completely  worn  out.  In  traversing,  half- 
barefoot,  the  tangled  undergrowth,  they  had  at  last  given 
out  entirely,  and  the  result  was  his  feet  became  chafed, 
and  at  last,  through  constant  irritation,  caused  by  the 
necessity  of  hastening  forward  at  all  hazards,  the  abrasions 
that  would  have  healed,  could  they  have  made  a  short  halt, 
became  ulcers,  so  that  when  they  again  struck  the  Lualaba 
he  was  unable  to  walk  any  farther,  and  Stanley  said  that  if 
at  any  time  they  would  have  to  leave  the  river  and  carry 
around  rapids,  Frank  would  have  to  be  carried  also.  Stan- 
ley always  led  the  way  over  the  rapids  and  selected  the 
paths  for  hauling  around  the  canoes,  while  Pocoke  super- 
intended the  soldiers  and  distributed  the  rations,  etc.  But 
now  he  was  placed  on  the  sick-list. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3d  of  June,  they  came  to  the 
Mowwa  Falls,  around  which  they  must  carry,  and  the  men 
shouldered  the  goods  and  baggage  and  started  overland  for 
Zinga,  three  miles  distant,  while  Stanley  attempted  to  run 
two  small  falls,  named  Massesse  and  Massassa,  vdth.  the 
boat's  crew.  Hugging  the  shore  for  about  three-quarters 
of  a  mile,  they  came  at  last  to  a  lofty  cliff",  against  which 
the  tide  threw  the  down-rushing  stream  back  in  such  fury 
that  great  whirlpools  were  formed  and  they  steered  for  the 
centre  of  the  river  and  endeavored  .to  stem  the  tide,  but 


580  PASSAGE   OF   MOWWA   FALLS. 

failed.  After  fighting  fiercely  against  the  raging  of  whirl- 
pools, they  tried  again  to  advance  in  another  direction, 
when  Stanley  discovered  that  his  boat  was  fast  filling  with 
water,  while  the  surface  became  still  more  terribly  agitated 
at  a  point  toward  which  he  had  been  unconsciously  drift- 
ing. The  danger  now  became  imminent.  Shouting  to  the 
men  to  leave  off  bailing  and  pull  for  life  for  the  shore,  he 
threw  off  his  coat,  belt  and  shoes,  to  be  in  readiness  to 
swim  when  the  boat  should  capsize,  as  he  expected  it  would. 
A  wild  whirlpool  was  near  the  boat  and  for  a  moment  it 
seemed  certain  that  it  would  drift  into  the  vortex.  But  by 
a  strong  effort  it  was  forced  away  and  they  pulled  for 
shore.  By  the  time  they  had  reached  it,  the  leaky  boat 
was  half-full  of  water.  Finding  it  impossible  to  proceed 
in  it  he  returned  to  Mowwa  Falls,  and  after  a  short  rest  took 
a  canoe  and  tried  to  proceed.  But  while  he  was  talking 
with  Pocoke,  the  crew  had  scattered,  and  as  those  who  had 
gone  to  Zinga  had  not  returned,  he  determined  to  go  over- 
land and  look  after  the  goods,  and  leave  to  his  chief  cap- 
tain, Manwa  Sera,  the  supervision  of  the  passage  of  the 
falls.  He  told  him  to  first  send  forward  a  reserve  canoe 
with  short  ropes  fastened  to  the  sides.  "The  crew,"  he  said, 
"  will  pick  their  way  carefully  down  the  river  until  near  the 
falls,  then  let  the  men  judge  for  themselves  whether  they 
are  able  to  take  the  canoe  farther.  Above  all  things  stick 
to  the  shore  and  do  not  play  with  the  river."  He  then 
bade  Pocoke  good-bye,  saying  he  would  send  him  his 
breakfast  immediately  with  hammock  bearers,  shook  hands 
and  turned  to  climb  the  mountain  toward  the  camp. 

Sending  back  the  breakfast  as  he  had  promised,  he  paid 
a  visit  to  the  kings  of  Zinga.  Becoming  anxious  about 
the  boats,  as  this  was  the  first  time  he  had  ever  23ermitted 
any  one  but  himself  to  lead  the  way  in  any  dangerous  part 
of  the  river,  he  about  three  o'clock  took  his  glass  and  going 


A  WRECKED  CANOE.  583 

to  the  shore  began  to  look  up  the  river  that  came  tearing 
out  of  the  mountain  like  a  wild  animal  and  shaking  the 
shores  with  its  loud  thunder.  Suddenly  he  saw  something 
black  tossing  amid  the  turbulent  water.  Scanning  it 
closely,  he  saw  it  was  an  upturned  canoe  and  to  its  sides 
several  men  were  clinging.  He  instantly  dispatched  two 
chiefs  and  ten  men  to  a  bend  toward  which  the  wreck  was 
drifting.  The  crew,  however,  knowing  there  was  another 
cataract  just  below,  attempted  to  right  the  boat  and  save 
themselves ;  but,  unable  to  do  so,  got  on  the  keel  and  began 
to  paddle  for  dear  life  with  their  hands  toward  the  shore. 
As  they  got  near  the  farther  bank,  he  saw  them  jump  off 
the  boat  and  swim  for  shore.  They  had  hardly  reached  it 
when  the  overturned  boat  shot  by  Stanley  like  an  arrow 
and  with  one  fierce  leap  dashed  over  the  brink  of  the  cata- 
ract and  disappeared  in  the  foam  and  tumult  below.  In  a 
few  minutes  a  messenger  arrived  out  of  breath,  saying  that 
eleven  men  were  in  that  canoe,  only  eight  of  whom  were 
saved — the  other  three  being  drowned,  one  of  whom  was 
Pocoke.  Stanley  turned  fiercely  on  Uledi,  his  coxswain, 
and  demanded  how  he  came  to  let  Pocoke,  a  lame  man,  go 
in  the  rescue  canoe.  "  Ah,  master,"  he  replied,  "  we  could 
not  help  it ;  he  would  not  wait.  He  said,  *  since  the  canoe 
is  going  to  camp  I  will  go  too.  I  am  hungry  and  cannot 
wait  any  longer.  I  cannot  walk  and  I  do  not  want  you  to 
carry  me,  that  the  natives  may  all  laugh  at  me.  No,  I 
will  go  with  you;'  and  refusing  to  listen  to  Captain 
Manwa  Sera,  who  remonstrated  with  him,  he  got  in  and 
told  us  to  cast  off.  We  found  no  trouble  in  forcing  our 
way  against  the  back  current.  We  struck  the  down  cur- 
rent, and  when  we  were  near  the  fall  I  steered  her  into 
the  cove  to  take  a  good  look  at  it  first.  When  I  had 
climbed  over  the  rocks  and  stood  over  it,  I  saw  that  it  was 
a  bad  place — that  it  was  useless  to  expect  any  canoe  to  go 


584  DEATH  OF  POCOKE. 

over  it  witliout  capsizing,  and  I  went  to  the  little  master 
and  told.liim  so.  He  would  not  believe  me,  but  sent  other 
men  to  report  on  it.  They  told  the  same  story :  that  the 
fall  could  not  be  passed  by  shooting  over  it  in  a  canoe. 
Then  he  said  we  were  always  afraid  of  a  little  water  and 
that  we  were  no  men.  *  All  right,'  I  said,  *  if  you  say  cast 
off  I  am  ready.  I  am  not  afraid  of  any  water,  but  if  any- 
thing happens  my  master  will  be  angry  with  me.'  *  Cast 
off,'  the  little  master  said,  *  nothing  will  happen ;  am  I  not 
here  ?'  You  could  not  have  counted  ten,  master,  before  we 
were  all  sorry.  The  cruel  water  caught  us  and  tossed  and 
whirled  us  about  and  shot  us  here  and  shot  us  there,  and 
the  noise  was  fearful.  Suddenly  the  little  master  shouted 
*  Look  out !  take  hold  of  the  ropes !'  and  he  was  tearing 
his  shirt  off  when  the  canoe,  which  was  whirling  round 
and  round  with  its  bow  in  the  air,  was  dragged  down, 
down,  down,  until  I  thought  my  chest  would  burst ;  then 
we  were  shot  out  into  daylight  again  and  took  some  breath. 
The  little  master  and  two  of  the  men  were  not  to  be  seen, 
but  soon  I  saw  the  little  master  with  his  face  upward  but 
insensible.  I  instantly  struck  out  for  him  to  save  him, 
but  we  were  both  taken  down  again  and  the  water  seemed 
to  be  tearing  my  legs  away ;  but  I  would  not  give  in ;  I 
held  my  breath  hard  then  and  I  came  to  the  surface,  but 
the  little  master  was  gone  forever.  This  is  my  story, 
master."  Stanley  then  examined  the  men  separately,  to 
ascertain  if  it  were  true  and  found  it  was.  This  man  was 
brave  but  not  foolhardy,  and  the  best  and  most  reliable  in 
the  whole  party. 

Stanley  very  briefly  expressed  the  sadness  and  loneliness 
of  his  feelings  that  night  as  he  sat  and  looked  on  the 
empty  tent  of  young  Pocoke,  but  no  language  can  express 
the  utter  desolation  of  his  situation.  His  position,  sur- 
roundings, prospects,  all  combined  to  spread  a  pall  black  as 


DESOLATE   CONDITION   OF   STANLEY.  585 

midniglit  over  his  spirit  and  fill  his  heart  with  the  gloomiest 
forebodings.  Sitting  alone  in  the  heart  of  a  country  never 
before  trod  by  the  foot  of  a  white  man,  on  the  banks  of  a 
mysterious  river,  on  whose  bosom  he  was  to  be  borne  he 
knew  not  where,  the  gloomy  forest  stretching  away  beyond 
him,  the  huts  of  strange  natives  behind  him,  the  water  in 
deep  shadows  rushing  by,  on  whose  foam  and  whirlpools 
his  friend  had  gone  down,  and  whose  body  then  lay  tossing 
amid  the  broken  rock,  the  strangely  silent  tropical  sky, 
brilliant  with  stars,  bending  over  him,  the  thoughts  of 
home  and  friends  far  away  caused  a  sad  and  solemn  gath- 
ering of  emotions  and  feelings  around  his  heart  till  they 
rushed  over  it  like  that  rushing  water,  and  made  him  in- 
conceivably sad  there  in  the  depths  of  the  forest.  With 
no  one  to  talk  to  in  his  native  tongue,  no  one  to  council 
with,  without  one  friend  on  whom  he  could  rely,  left  all 
alone  to  meet  the  unknown  future,  was  to  be  left  desolate 
indeed.  Before,  he  knew  there  was  one  arm  on  which  he 
always  could  lean,  one  stout,  brave  heart  that  would  stand 
unflinchingly  by  his  side  in  the  deadliest  peril,  share  all  his 
dangers,  and  go  cheerfully  to  the  very  gates  of  death  with 
him.  But  now  he  was  alone,  with  none  but  natives  around 
him,  with  whom  he  must  meet  all  the  unknown  dangers  of 
the  untrodden  wilderness  before  him — perhaps  be  buried  by 
them  in  the  gloomy  forest  or  left  to  be  devoured  by  canni- 
bals. It  was  enough  to  daunt  the  bravest  spirit,  appall  the 
stoutest  heart,  and  that  lonely  night  on  the  banks  of  the 
Lualaba  will  live  in  Stanley's  memory  forever. 

Stanley  pronounced  a  high  eulogium  on  his  young  friend, 
saying  that  he  was  a  true  African  explorer — he  seemed  to 
like  the  dangers  and  even  the  sufferings  of  the  expedition, 
so  well  did  they  harmonize  with  his  adventurous  spirit. 
Quick  and  resolute,  he  was  always  docile  and  in  the  heat 
and  excitement  of  battle  would  obey  Stanley's  slightest 


586  Stanley's  eulogium  on  pocoke. 

wish  with  alacrity.  He  seemed  fitted  for  an  explorer :  on 
danger  daunted  him,  no  obstacle  discouraged  him,  while 
his  frame,  though  slight,  was  tough  and  sinewy,  and  he 
was  capable  of  undergoing  any  amount  of  labor  and  could 
endure  the  heaviest  strain.  He  had  so  endeared  himself 
to  Stanley  that  the  latter  said,  in  a  letter  to  young  Pocoke's 
parents,  that  his  death  took  away  all  the  joy  and  exulta- 
tion he  should  otherwise  have  felt  in  .accomplishing  the 
great  task  the  two  had  undertaken  together. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

stanley  mourning  fob  his  feiend— a  siutiny— sadness  of  stanley— betubn  of  the 
deseetees— boats  caeeied  ovee  a  hill— the  chief  caepenter  caeeied  ovee  the  falls 
—stanley  runs  the  mbelo  falls— mieaculous  escape— feeling  .of  his  people— the 
end  of  the  chasm— one  mile  and  a  quaetee  a  day  foe  eight  months— the  aeabs 
steal,  and  aee  made  peisonees— aeabs  left  in  slaveey  foe  stealing— falls  of  isin- 
gila  reached— stanley  resolves  to  leave  the  eivee— the  lady  alice  abandoned— 
the  maech  foe  boma— uledi  slaps  a  king  in  the  face— stanley  sends  a  lettee  to 
soma- the  messengees  depaet— he  moves  on— meets  an  enemy  who  becomes  a  feiend 
—a  glad  suepeise— food  in  abundance— luxueies  foe  stanley— a  song  of  teiumph— 
Stanley's  feelings,  as  shoavn  by  his  letter— eeach  boma— the  eeaction— Stanley 
offeeed  a  steamee  home— reefers  to  stand  by  his  aeabs— eeception  at  cape  town- 
zanzibar  reached— joy  of  the  aeabs— an  affecting  scene— faeewell  to  stanley. 

THE  next  morning  Stanley  arose  with  a  sad  and  heavy 
heart ;  the  cruel,  relentless  river  seemed  more  re- 
morseless than  ever,  and  its  waves  flowed  on  with  an 
angrier  voice,  and  that  seemed  full  of  hate  and  defiance. 

Eighty  men  were  still  behind,  at  Mowwa,  and  the  next 
day  word  reached  Stanley  that  they  had  mutinied,  declar- 
ing they  would  follow  the  river  no  longer,  for  death  was  in 
it.  He,  borne  down  with  his  great  loss,  paid  no  attention 
to  the  report,  and  stayed  and  mourned  for  his  friend  for 
three  days  before  he  set  out  for  Mowwa.  He  found  the  men 
sullen,  sad  and  reckless.  It  would  be  strange,  however,  if 
he  could  not  regain  his  old  influence,  which,  after  much 
efibrt,  he  did.  But  he  did  not  get  all  down  to  Zinga  till 
after  four  days.  Meantime  Frank's  body  had  been  found 
floating,  face  upward,  some  distance  below  the  falls.  All 
the  canoes  did  not  reach  Zinga  till  the  19th,  more  than  a 
fortnight  after  Frank's  death. 

On  June  20th  Stanley  began  to  make  preparations  to 
continue  on  down  the  river.     There  had  been  dreadful 

587 


588  REBELLION. 

hard  work  in  passing  and  getting  round  the  falls  where 
Frank  lost  his  life,  but  the  worst  of  it  was,  when  they  had 
succeeded,  they  seemed  to  have  just  begun  their  labors,  for 
now  it  had  all  got  to  be  repeated  over  again.  The  men 
had  lost  all  spirit  and  did  not  seem  to  care  what  became  of 
them  ;  and  so,  when  on  the  20th,  Stanley  ordered  the  men 
to  their  work  to  lay  brushwood  along  the  tracks  marked 
out  for  hauling  the  canoes  from  the  Pocoke  basin  around 
Ziuga  point  into  the  basin  beyond,  the  men  seemed  disin- 
clined to  move.  Stanley,  in  surprise,  asked  what  was  the 
matter.  "  We  are  tired  of  this,"  growled  a  burly  fellow, 
"  and  that's  what's  the  matter." 

Stanley  soon  discovered  that  he  was  not  alone  in  his 
opinion,  and,  though  once  he  would  have  quelled  this 
spirit  of  rebellion  with  prompt,  determined  action,  he  did 
not  feel  like  using  harsh  measures  now,  or  even  harsh 
language.  He  knew  he  had  tasked  them  to  the  uttermost 
— that  they  had  followed  his  bidding  unquestioned,  as  far 
as  he  ought  to  ask  them,  and  so  he  called  them  together  to 
talk  with  them  and  give  them  an  opportunity  to  tell 
frankly  their  grievances.  But  there  was  nothing  to  say, 
except  they  had  gone  far  enough,  and  did  not  mean  to 
make  another  effort.  Death  and  famine  awaited  them,  and 
they  might  as  well  give  up  first  as  last.  Stanley  did  not 
attempt  even  to  appeal  to  them,  except  indirectly.  He 
simply  told  them  that  he,  too,  was  hungry,  and  could  have 
had  meat,  but  saved  it  for  them.  He,  too,  was  weary  and 
sad.  They  might  leave  him  if  they  choose — he  had  his 
boat  still,  and  if  he  was  left  alone,  he  had  but  to  step  into 
it — the  falls  were  near,  and  he  would  soon  be  at  rest  with 
his  friend.  It  is  most  pitiful  and  sad  .to  see  how  the  in- 
domitable will  of  this  strong  man  has  given  way.  The 
bold  and  confident  manner  with  which  he  set  out  from 
Nyangwe — the  healthy,  cheery  tone  in  which  he  addressed 


WEAEY   OF   LIFE.  589 

them  wlien  bowed  down  with  grief  at  the  farewell  song  of 
TijDO-tipo's  Arabs  are  gone,  and  in  their  place  has  come  a 
great  weariness  and  despair.  To  see  such  a  strong  man 
forced  at  last  to  yield,  awakens  our  deepest  sympathy.  No 
wonder  he  was  weary  of  life,  and  longed  to  die.  Under 
the  terrible  mental  and  physical  strain  of  the  last  six 
months  the  toughest  nature  must  give  way,  while  to  this  was 
added  the  feebleness  that  comes  from  want  of  food  and  the 
utterly  dreary,  hopeless  prospect  before  him.  As  he  stood 
amid  his  dusky  followers,  his  once  sinewy  frame  looked 
lean  and  languid,  and  his  voice  had  a  weary,  despairing 
tone.  The  star  of  fame  that  had  led  him  on  was  gone 
down,  and  life  itself  had  lost  all  its  brightness,  and  when 
he  had  done  speaking  he  turned  away  indifferent  as  to  the 
future.  The  men  listened,  but  their  hungry,  despairing 
hearts  felt  no  sympathy.  They,  too,  had  reached  the 
point  of  indifference  as  to  the  future,  except  they  would  no 
longer  cling  to  that  cruel  river,  and  thirty-one  packed 
their  baggage  and  filed  away  up  the  ascent  and  were  soon 
lost  to  view.  When  it  was  told  to  Stanley,  he  inquired 
how  many  had  gone.  Learning  that  only  thirty-one  had 
left,  and  that  the  rest  would  stand  by  him  to  the  last,  he 
roused  himself,  and  unwilling  that  the  faithful  should  perish 
through  the  disaffection  of  a  few  men,  he  sent  messengers 
after  the  deserters  to  plead  with  them  to  come  back.  They 
overtook  them  five  miles  away  and  urged  them  to  return, 
but  in  vain.  Setting  the  faithful  to  work,  he  dispatched 
two  men  to  cut  off  the  fugitives,  and  tell  the  chiefs  not  to 
let  them  pass  through  their  territory.  They  obeyed,  and 
beat  the  war-drum,  which  so  terrified  the  wanderers  that 
they  were  glad  to  return.  It  would  seem  strange  that  men 
who  had  been  accustomed  to  obey  him  implicitly  for  nearly 
three  years,  and  had  stood  by  him  so  staunchly  in  many  a 
fight  and  through  countless  perils,  could  so  easily  desert 


590  THE  LIVINGSTONE    LOST. 

Mm  now.  But  despair  will  make  even  a  wise  man  mad, 
and  these  poor  creatures  had  got  into  that  hopeless  condi- 
tion which  makes  all  men  reckless.  Starting  off  with  no 
definite  aim  in  view,  no  point  to  travel  toward,  shows  how 
desperate  they  had  become.  No  wonder  they  saw  no  hope 
in  clinging  to  the  river,  for  they  had  now  been  over  a  month 
going  three  miles,  and  it  seemed  worse  than  useless  to 
attempt  to  push  on  farther  in  that  direction. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  the  work  was  commenced  of  hauling 
out  the  canoes  to  take  them  over  a  hill  two  hundred  feet 
high,  and  by  noon  three  were  safely  on  the  summit.  Next 
came  the  Livingstone,  which  had  been  recently  made.  It 
weighed  some  three  tons,  yet,  with  the  aid  of  a  hundred 
and  fifty  natives,  they  had  succeeded  in  getting  it  twenty 
feet  up  the  bank,  when  the  cables  parted  and  it  shot  sTviftly 
back  into  the  river.  The  chief  carpenter  clung  to  it,  and, 
being  carried  beyond  his  depth,  climbed  into  it.  He  was 
only  a  short  distance  above  the  falls,  and  the  brave  Uledi, 
seeing  his  peril,  plunged  into  the  river,  and,  swimming  to 
the  boat,  called  out  to  him  to  leap  overboard  instantly. 
The  poor  wretch  replied  that  he  could  not  swim.  "Jump," 
shouted  Uledi,  "you  are  drifting  toward  the  cataract." 
The  terrified  creature,  as  he  cowered  in  the  canoe,  faltered 
out,  "  I  am  afraid  to."  "  Well,  then,"  said  Uledi,  "  you 
are  lost — ^brother,  good-bye,"  and  struck  out  with  all  his 
might  for  the  shore.  A  minute's  longer  delay,  and  he, 
too,  would  have  been  lost,  for,  though  a  strong  swimmer, 
he  was  able,  only  by  the  most  desperate  effort,  to  reach 
shore  less  than  sixty  feet  from  the  brink  of  the  falls.  The 
next  minute  the  canoe  was  shooting  over  them  into  the 
boiling  cauldron  below.  Tossed  up  and  down  and  whirled 
about,  it  finally  went  down  and  was  seen  no  more. 

The  next  day,  the  other  boats  were  got  up,  and  then  the 
process  of  letting  them  down  was  commenced.    This  was 


SAFELY  OVER.  .  593 

done  in  safety,  when  the  goods  were  sent  overland  to  the 
Mbelo  Falls  beyond,  while  the  boats  should  attempt  to  run 
the  rapids.  There  was  no  abrupt  descent,  but  a  wild  waste 
of  tumbling,  roaring  water  dashing  against  the  cliffs  and 
rocks  in  reckless  fury.  Stanley  resolved  to  try  them  first, 
before  risking  his  men,  and  embarked  in  the  Lady  Alice, 
and,  with  men  on  shore  holding  cables  attached  to  the  bow 
and  stern,  drifted  slowly  downward  amid  the  rocks.  The 
little  boat  seemed  a  mere  toy  amid  the  awful  scenery  in 
which  it  floated,  and  Stanley  felt,  as  it  rocked  beneath  him, 
what  a  helpless  thing  it  would  be  in  the  wild  and  turbulent 
midstream.  But  just  as  he  had  reached  the  most  dangerous 
point,  one  of  the  cables  parted.  The  boat  swung  to,  when 
the  other  snapped  asunder  and  the  frightened  thing  was 
borne  like  a  bubble  into  the  boiling  surge  and  carried 
downward  like  an  arrow.  Down,  down,  between  the 
frowning  precipices,  now  barely  escaping  a  huge  rock,  and 
now  lifted  like  a  feather  on  the  top  of  a  wave,  it  swept  on, 
apparently,  to  certain  destruction.  But  death  had  lost  all 
its  terrors  to  these  hard-hunted  men,  and  the  six  in  the 
boat  sat  resigned  to  their  fate.  The  brave  Uledi,  however, 
kept  his  hand  on  the  helm  and  his  steady  eye  on  the  hell 
of  waters  around  and  before  them.  Sometimes  caught  in 
a  whirlpool  that  whirled  them  around  and  around,  and 
then  springing  like  a  panther  down  a  steep  incline,  the 
boat  continued  to  plunge  on  its  mad  course  with  death  on 
every  side,  until  at  last  it  shot  into  the  Niguru  basin,  when 
they  rowed  to  the  sandy  beach  of  Kilanga.  Here^  amid 
the  rocks,  they  found  the  broken  boat  in  which  Pocoke 
went  down,  and  the  body  of  one  of  the  men  who  was 
drowned  with  him  jammed  among  the  fragments. 

Stanley  looked  back  on  this  perilous  ride  with  strange 
feelings.  It  seemed  as  if  fate,  while  trying  him  to  the 
utmost,  was  determined  he  should  not  perish,  but  fulfill 


594  "it  is  the  hand  of  god." 

the  great  mission  he  had  undertaken.  His  people  seemed 
to  think  so,  too,  for  when  they  saw  his  boat  break  adrift 
and  launch  into  the  boiling  rapids,  they  gave  him  up  for 
lost ;  but  when  they  caught  sight  of  him  coming  toward 
them  alive  and  well,  they  gave  way  to  extravagant  joy  and 
exclaimed,  "  it  is  the  hand  of  God — we  shall  reach  the  sea." 
The  escape  was  so  wonderful,  almost  miraculous,  that  they 
could  not  but  believe  that  God  had  spared  him  to  save 
them  all. 

They  now  pushed  on  with  little  trouble  to  Mpakambendi, 
the  terminus  of  the  chasm,  ninety-three  miles  long,  in 
which  they  had  been  struggling  a  hundred  and  seventeen 
days.  This  simple  statement  conveys  very  little  to  the 
ear,  yet  what  fearful  shapes  does  it  conjure  up  to  the 
imagination !  Ninety-three  miles  of  rapids  and  cataracts, 
with  only  here  and  there  a  stretch  of  smooth  water !  A 
mile  and  a  quarter  a  day  was  all  the  progress  they  had 
made  now  for  nearly  four  months.  No  wonder  the  poor 
Arabs  gave  up  in  despair  and  refused  any  longer  to  follow 
the  river. 

Although  below  the  chasm  the  stream  did  not  flow  with 
that  placidity  it  did  through  the  cannibal  region,  still,  it 
did  not  present  any  dangerous  rapids,  and  they  glided  on 
toward  the  sea  with  new  hopes. 

The  natives  along  the  banks  were  friendly,  though  diffi- 
culties were  constantly  arising  from  the  theiving  propen- 
sities of  the  Arabs.  Two  were  seized  by  the  natives,  and 
Stanley  had  nearly  to  bankrupt  himself  to  redeem  them, 
on  which  he  gave  the  men  a  talk  and  told  them  plainly 
that  this  was  positively  the  last  time  he  would  redeem  a 
single  prisoner  seized  for  theft,  nor  would  he  resort  to 
force  to  rescue  him. 

It  was  now  the  7th  day  of  July,  and  although  hope  had 
revived  in  the  hearts  of  the  people,  some  of  the  sick  felt 


PKOVISIONS  SCARCE.  595 

that  they  should  never  see  their  native  island  again.  Two 
died  this  day  and  were  buried  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
whose  course  they  had  followed  so  long.  They  now  had 
clear,  though  not  smooth,  sailing  for  some  nine  or  ten 
miles,  when  they  came  to  another  fall.  This  was  j)assed 
in  safety,  with  the  assistance  of  the  natives,  who  assembled 
in  great  numbers  and  volunteered  their  services,  for  which 
they  were  liberally  rewarded.  More  or  less  broken  water 
was  experienced,  but  not  bad  enough  to  arrest  the  progress  of 
the  boats.  Provisions  were  getting  scarce,  and  consequently 
the  tliieving  propensity  of  the  Arabs  to  obtain  them  more 
actively  exhibited  itself,  and  one  man,  caught  while  digging 
up  roots  in  a  garden,  was  held  as  a  prisoner.  The  men 
asked  his  release,  but  Stanley,  finding  that  the  price  which 
the  natives  asked  for  his  redemption  was  far  greater  than 
his  means  to  pay,  would  not  interfere,  and  he  was  left  to 
live  and  die  in  perpetual  slavery.  But  this  did  not  stop 
thieving,  and  soon  another  man  was  caught  in  the  act  and 
made  prisoner.  This  case  was  submitted  to  the  chiefs,  and 
fheir  decision  was  to  let  him  remain  in  slavery.  But  the 
men  were  starving,  and  even  this  terrible  exhibition  of  the 
doom  that  awaited  them  was  not  sufficient  to  deter  the  men 
from  stealing  food.  The  demands  of  the  stomach  overrode 
all  fears  of  punishment,  and  three  or  four  days  after 
another  man  was  detected  and  made  a  prisoner.  He,  too, 
was  left  to  live  and  die  a  slave  in  the  hands  of  the  natives. 
Dangerous  rapids  were  now  and  then  encountered,  but 
they  were  j^assed  without  accident,  and  Stanley  at  last 
found  that  he  was  close  to  the  sea.  He  announced  the 
fact  to  his  people,  who  were  intensely  excited  at  the  news. 
One  man,  a  boatman,  went  crazy  over  it,  and,  shouting 
"  we  have  reached  the  sea,  we  are  at  home,"  rushed  into 
the  woods  and  was  never  seen  again.  The  poor  wretch, 
probably,  lay  down  at  last  in  the  forest,  with  the  groves  of 


596  THE  LADY  ALICE  ABANDONED. 

Zanzibar,  in  imagination,  just  ahead  of  him.  Sweeping 
downward,  frequent  rapids  occurred,  but  the  expedition 
kept  on  until  it  reached  the  district  of  Kilolo. 

Stanley  here  lay  down  weary  and  hungry,  but  was 
aroused  by  musket-shots.  His  people,  starving  and  des- 
perate, had  scattered  about,  entering  every  garden  they  saw 
to  get  something  to  eat,  and  the  natives  had  attacked 
them.  Soon  wounded  men  were  brought  in,  ^  whom  the 
natives  had  shot.  Several  had  been  captured  whom  Stan- 
ley refused  to  redeem,  and  they  were  left  to  pine  in  endless 
captivity,  never  again  to  see  the  hills  of  Zanzibar,  as  he 
over  and  over  again  had  promised  they  should. 

Changing  from  bank  to  bank,  as  the  character  of  the 
river  changed,  the  expedition,  on  the  30th  of  July,  heard 
in  advance  the  roar  of  the  cataract  of  Isingila.  Here 
Stanley  ascertained  that  they  were  but  five  days'  journey 
from  Embomma,  a  distance  always  traveled  by  land  by 
the  natives,  on  account  of  the  obstructions  in  the  river. 

As  the  whole  object  of  the  expedition  had  been  accom- 
plished, and  the  short  distance  beyond  these  falls  to  the  sea 
was  known  to  Europeans,  he  resolved  to  leave  the  river 
and  march  by  land  to  Embomma.  At  sunset  the  Lady 
Alice  was  drawn  out  of  the  water  to  the  top  of  some  rocks 
and  abandoned  forever.  To  Stanley  it  was  like  leaving  a 
friend  behind.  The  boat  had  been  his  companion  for 
nearly  three  years.  It  had  carried  him  over  the  waters  of 
the  lakes,  dashed  at  his  bidding  among  hostile  canoes, 
rocked  him  to  sleep  amid  the  storms,  borne  him  all  safely 
over  foaming  cataracts,  and  now  it  must  be  left  ignobly  to 
rot  in  the  wilds  of  Africa.  As  he  turned  to  cast  a  last  fare- 
well glance  on  it  resting  mournfully  on  the  rocks,  the  poor 
boat  had  almost  a  human  look,  as  if  it  knew  it  was  to  be 
left  behind  and  abandoned  forever. 
,     On  the  1st  of  August,  the  famished,  weary  column  took 


NSANDA   REACHED.  597 

up  its  line  of  march  toward  the  sea — the  mothers  carrying 
infants,  that  had  been  born  amid  the  cataracts,  and  the 
larger  children  trudging  slowly  after.  Nearly  forty  of  the 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  were  sick,  and  though  it  was  painful 
to  travel,  they  were  cheered  by  the  promise  that  in  four  or 
five  days  they  should  once  more  look  on  the  sea,  toward 
which  their  longing  hearts  had  been  turned  for  so  many 
weary  months.  Coming  to  a  village,  the  king  stopped  them 
and  told  them  they  could  not  pass  without  they  gave  him  a 
bottle  of  rum.  Uledi,  hastening  up,  asked  Stanley  what 
the  old  man  wanted.  "  E,um,"  he  replied.  Hitting  him 
a  severe  slap  in  the  face,  "  there  is  rum  for  him,"  growled 
Uledi,  as  the  drunken  negro  tumbled  over.  The  latter 
picked  himself  up  and  hurried  away,  and  Stanley  and  his 
worn  and  wasted  band  passed  on  without  further  molestation. 

It  was  hard  to  get  food,  for  one  party  would  demand 
rum  and  refused  to  furnish  it  without,  another  wanted 
them  to  wait  till  the  next  market-day. 

On  the  third  day  they  reached  Nsanda,  the  king  of 
which  told  Stanley  it  was  but  three  days'  march  to  the 
sea.  The  latter  asked  him  if  he  would  carry  a  letter  to 
Embomma  for  him.  He  replied  no,  but  after  four  hours 
of  hard  urging  he  agreed  to  furnish  guides  for  three  of 
Stanley's  men. 

The  next  day  they  set  out,  carrying  the  following  letter: — 

Village  Nsanda,  August  4th,  1877. 
To  any  gentleman  who  speaks  English  at  EmhomTna. 

Dear  Sir:  I  have  arrived  at  this  place  from  Zanzibar  with 
one  hundred  and  fifteen  souls,  men,  women  and  children. 
We  are  now  in  a  state  of  imminent  starvation.  We  can 
buy  nothing  from  the  natives,  for  they  laugh  at  our  kinds  of 
cloth,  beads  and  wire.  There  are  no  provisions  in  the 
country  that  may  be  purchased  except  on  market-days,  and 


598  APPEAL  FOR  HELP. 

starving  people  cannot  afford  to  wait  for  these  markets.  I 
therefore  have  made  bold  to  dispatch  three  of  my  young 
men,  natives  of  Zanzibar,  with  a  boy  named  Robert  Ferugi 
of  the  English  mission  at  Zanzibar,  with  this  letter,  craving 
relief  from  you.  I  do  not  know  you,  but  I  am  told  there 
is  an  Englishman  at  Embomma,  and  as  you  are  a  Christian 
and  a  gentlemen,  I  beg  of  you  not  to  disregard  my  request. 
The  boy  Robert  will  be  better  able  to  describe  our  condition 
than  I  can  tell  you  in  a  letter.  We  are  in  a  state  of  the 
greatest  distress,  but,  if  your  supplies  arrive  in  time,  I  may 
be  able  to  reach  Embomma  in  four  days.  I  want  three 
hundred  cloths,  each  four  yards  long,  of  such  quality  as  you 
trade  with,  which  is  very  different  from  that  we  have ;  but 
better  than  all  would  be  ten  or  fifteen  man-loads  of  rice  or 
grain  to  fill  their  pinched  bellies  immediately,  as,  even 
with  the  cloths  it  would  require  time  to  purchase  food,  and 
starving  men  cannot  wait.  The  supplies  must  arrive  within 
two  days,  or  I  may  have  a  fearful  time  of  it  among  the 
dying.  Of  course  I  hold  myself  responsible  for  any  ex- 
pense you  may  incur  in  this  business.  What  is  wanted  is 
immediate  relief^  and  I  pray  you  to  use  your  utmost  ener- 
gies to  forward  it  at  once.  For  myself,  if  you  have  such 
little  luxuries  as  tea,  coffee,  sugar  and  biscuits  by  you,  such 
as  one  man  can  easily  carry,  I  beg  you,  on  my  own  behalf, 
that  you  will  send  a  small  supply,  and  add  to  the  great  debt 
of  gratitude  due  to  you  upon  the  timely  arrival  of  supplies 
for  my  people.     Until  that  time,  I  beg  you  to  believe  me, 

Yours,  sincerely, 

H.  M.  Stanley, 
(Jommanding  Anglo-American  Expeditionf 

for  Exploration  of  Africa. 

P.  S. — You  may  not  know  my  name;  I  therefore  add, 
I  am  the  person  that  discovered  Livingstone. 

H.  M.  S 


ULEDI   READY.  599 

« 

After  writing  this  letter,  Stanley  called  his  chiefs  and 
boat's  crew  to  his  tent  and  told  them  of  his  purpose  to  send 
a  letter  to  Embomma  for  relief,  and  wanted  to  know  which 
were  the  most  reliable  men — would  travel  fastest  and  least 
likely  to  be  arrested  or  turned  back  by  obstacles.  The 
ever-ready  Uledi  sprang  to  his  feet  and  exclaimed,  as  he 
tightened  his  belt,  "  O  master,  I  am  ready  now !"  The 
other  volunteers  responded  as  quickly,  and  the  next  day, 
the  guides  appearing,  they  started  off.  In  the  meantime, 
the  expedition  resumed  its  slow  march,  ha\dng  eaten 
nothing  but  a  few  nuts  to  stay  their  stomachs.  Coming 
to  a  village,  the  chief  demanded  payment  for  passing 
through  his  country,  and  armed  his  followers;  but  on 
Stanley  threatening  to  destroy  every  man  in  the  place,  his 
rage  subsided,  he  shook  hands,  and  peace  was  made  and 
sealed  by  a  drink  of  palm  wine  and  the  promise  of  a  bottle 
of  rum. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Uledi  and  his  companions  pressed 
swiftly  on,  but  when  about  halfway,  the  guides,  becoming 
frightened,  deserted  them.  Unable  to  obtain  others,  they 
resolved  to  follow  the  Congo.  All  day  long  they  pressed 
steadily  forward,  and,  just  after  sunset,  reached  Boma,  to 
which  Embomma  had  been  changed,  and  delivered  the 
letter.  The  poor  fellows  had  not  tasted  food  for  thirty 
hours,  and  were  well-nigh  famished.  They  soon  had 
abundance,  and  the  next  morning  (August  6th),  while 
Stanley  was  leading  on  his  bloated,  haggard,  half-starved, 
staggering  men,  women  and  children,  Uledi  started  back 
with  carriers  loaded  down  with  provisions. 

At  nine  o'clock,  the  expedition  had  to  stop  and  rest. 
While  they  lay  scattered  about  on  tlie  green  sward,  sud- 
denly an  Arab  boy  shouted,  "  I  see  Uledi  coming  down 
the  hill !"  and  sure  enough  there  were  Uledi  and  Kacheche 
leaping  down  the  slope  and  waving  their  arms  in  the  air. 


600  WE  ARE  SAVED. 

"  La  il  Allah,  il  Allah !"  went  up  in  one  wild  shout — "  we 
are  saved,  thank  God!"  Uledi  had  brought  a  letter  to 
Stanley,  who  had  scarcely  finished  reading  it  when  the 
carriers  appeared  in  sight  laden  with  provisions.  The 
sick  and  lame  struggled  to  their  feet,  and,  with  the  others, 
pressed  around  them.  While  Stanley  was  distributing 
them,  one  of  the  boat-boys  struck  up  a  triumphant  song, 
that  echoed  far  over  the  plain.  They  then  set  to  and  ate 
as  only  starving  men  can  eat. 

When  all  were  supplied,  Stanley  turned  to  his  tent,  to 
open  the  private  packages  sent  to  him.  Heavens !  what  a 
spectacle  met  his  astonished  sight !  A  few  hours  before, 
he  had  made  his  breakfast  on  a  few  green  bananas  and 
peanuts,  washed  with  a  cup  of  muddy  water,  and  now 
before  him  were  piled  champagne,  port  and  sherry  wines, 
and  ale,  and  bread,  and  butter,  and  tea,  and  sugar,  and 
plum-pudding,  and  various  kinds  of  jam — in  short,  enough 
luxuries  to  supply  half  a  regiment.  How  Stanley  felt  that 
night  as  he  looked  on  his  happy,  contented  followers,  may 
be  gathered  from  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  he 
sent  back  next  day  to  his  kind-hearted  deliverers.  After 
acknowledging  the  reception  of  the  bountiful  supplies,  he 
says: 

"  Dear  Sirs — ^though  strangers  I  feel  we  shall  be  great 
friends,  and  it  will  be  the  study  of  my  lifetime  to  remember 
my  feelings  of  gratefulness  when  I  first  caught  sight  of 
your  supplies,  and  my  poor  faithful  and  brave  people  cried 
out,  '  Master,  we  are  saved — food  is  coming !'  The  old  and 
the  young  men,  the  women  and  the  children  lifted  their 
wearied  and  worn-out  frames  and  began  lustily  to  chant  an 
extemporaneous  song  in  honor  of  the  white  people  by  the 
great  salt  sea  (the  Atlantic),  who  had  listened  to  their 
prayers.  I  had  to  rush  to  my  tent  to  hide  the  tears  that 
would  come,  despite  all  my  attempts  at  composure. 


A  GREAT   REACTION".  601 

"  Gentlemen,  that  tlie  blessing  of  God  may  attend  your 
footsteps,  whithersoever  you  go,  is  the  very  earnest  prayer 
of 

"Yours  faithfully, 

"  Henry  M.  Stanley." 

That  day  was  given  up  to  feasting  and  rejoicing,  and  the 
next  morning — a  very,  different  looking  set  of  men — they 
started  forward.  All  this  and  the  next  day  they  marched 
cheerfully  over  the  rolling  country,  and  on  the  third,  while 
slowly  descending  a  hill,  they  saw  a  string  of  hammocks 
approaching,  and  soon  Stanley  stood  face  to  face  with  four 
white  men,  and  so  long  had  he  been  shut  up  in  a  country 
of  blacks  that  they  impressed  him  strangely.  After  some 
time  spent  in  conversation  they  insisted  on  his  getting  into 
a  hammock,  and  borne  by  eight  stout  bearers  he  was  car- 
ried into  Boma,  where  rest  and  abundance  awaited  him. 
He  stayed  in  this  little  village  of  a  hundred  huts  only  one 
day  and  then  embarked  on  a  steamer  for  the  mouth  of  the 
river,  a  hundred  or  more  miles  away.  Turning  northward 
he  reached  Kabinda,  where  one  of  the  expedition  died. 
The  reaction  on  these  poor  creatures  after  their  long  and 
desperate  struggle  was  great,  and  they  fell  back  into  a  sort 
of  stupor,  Stanley  himself  felt  its  influence  and  would  fall 
asleep  "^hile  eating.  The  sense  of  responsibility,  however, 
roused  him  and  he  attempted  in  turn  to  arouse  his  men. 
But,  notwithstanding  all  his  efforts,  four  died  of  this  malady 
without  a  name  after  he  reached  Loanda,  and  three  more 
afterwards  on  board  the  vessel  that  carried  them  to  Cape 
Town. 

Stanley  gave  his  poor  followers  eight  days'  rest  at  Ka- 
binda and  then  in  a  Portuguese  vessel  proceeded  to  Loanda. 
Here  the  governor-general  offered  to  send  him  in  a  gun- 
boat to  Lisbon.     This  generous  offer  was  very  tempting. 


602  AT   CAPE   TOWN. 

and  many  would  have  accepted  it,  but  Stanley  would  not 
leave  his  Arab  friends  who  had  shared  his  toils  and  hard- 
ships, and  shown  an  unbounded  trust  in  his  promise  to  see 
them  back  to  Zanzibar.  A  passage  being  offered  them  in 
the  British  ship  Industry,  to  Cape  Town,  Stanley  accepted 
it  and,  instead  of  going  home  where  comfort  and  fame 
awaited  him,  turned  southward  with  his  Arab  followers. 
At  Cape  Town  he  was  received  with  every  mark  of  distinc- 
tion, and  delivered  a  lecture  there  giving  a  brief  account  of 
the  expedition,  especially  that  part  of  it  relating  to  the 
Congo.  A  British  vessel  here  was  placed  at  his  disposal, 
and  while  she  was  refitting  Stanley  gave  his  astonished 
Arabs  a  ride  on  a  railroad,  on  which  they  were  whirled 
along  at  the  rate  of  thirty  miles  an  hour.  Of  all  the  won- 
ders they  had  seen  since  they  left  Zanzibar,  nearly  three 
years  before,  this  was  the  greatest.  Entertainments  were 
got  up  for  them,  suitable  garments  for  that  cold  latitude 
provided,  till  these  poor,  simple  children  of  nature  were 
made  dizzy  by  the  attentions  they  received.  Among  other 
things  a  special  evening  was  set  apart  for  them  in  the 
theatre,  and  they  were  thrown  into  raj)tures  at  the  per- 
formance of  the  acrobats  and  made  the  building  ring  with 
their  wild  Arab  shouts  of  approval. 

At  length,  on  the  6th  of  November,  nearly  two  months 
from  the  time  they  reached  the  Atlantic  coast,  they  set  sail 
for  Zanzibar.  Stopping  for  two  days  at  Natal  to  coal, 
where  every  possible  attention  was  lavished  on  them,  they 
again  put  to  sea  and  stretched  northward  through  the 
Indian  Ocean. 

Day  after  day  these  now  contented  people  lay  around  on 
deck,  drinking  in  health  from  the  salt  sea  air.  All  but 
one  was  shaking  off"  every  form  of  disease  contracted  in 
their  long  wanderings.  This  was  a  woman  who  was 
slowly  dying,  and  who  was  kept  alive  alone  by  the  thought 


THE  GREAT  JOURNEY  ENDED.  603 

of  seeing  her  home  once  more.  At  last  the  hills  of  Zanzi- 
bar arose  over  the  sea,  and  as  these  untutored  Arabs  traced 
their  well-known  outline,  their  joy  was  unbounded,  and 
Stanley  felt  repaid  for  the  self-denial  that  had  refused  a 
passage  home  from  Loanda  and  to  stick  by  his  faithful 
followers  to  the  last.  Their  excitement  increased  as  the 
caves  and  inlets  grew  more  distinct,  and  at  last  the  cocoa- 
nut  and  mangrove-trees  became  visible.  As  the  vessel 
entered  port  their  impatience  could  not  be  restrained,  and 
the  captain  of  the  vessel,  sympathizing  with  their  feelings, 
had  no  sooner  dropped  anchor  than  he  manned  the  boats, 
whil€  the  eager  creatures  crowded  the  gangway  and  ladder, 
all  struggling  to  be  the  first  to  set  foot  on  their  native 
island.  As  boat-load  after  boat-load  reached  the  shore, 
with  a  common  feeling  they  knelt  on  the  beach  and  cried 
"Allah!"  and  offered  up  their  humble  thanksgiving  to 
God,  who  had  brought  them  safely  back  to  their  homes. 

The  news  of  their  arrival  spread  like  wild-fire  on  every 
side,  and  soon  their  relatives  and  friends  came  flocking  in 
from  all  directions,  and  glad  shouts,  and  wild  embracings, 
and  floods  of  glad  tears  made  a  scene  that  stirred  Stanley's 
heart  to  its  profoundest  -depths.  Still,  there  was  a  dark 
side  to  the  picture.  Scores  of  those  that  came  rushing 
forward  to  greet  them,  fell  back  shedding  tears,  not  of 
gladness,  but  of  sorrow,  for  they  found  not  those  whom 
they  fondly  hoped  to  meet.  Of  the  three  hundred  that 
had  set  out,  nearly  three  years  before,  only  one  hundred 
and  twelve  were  left — and  of  these,  one,  the  poor  sick 
woman,  lived  only  long  enough  to  be  clasped  in  her 
father's  arms,  when  she  died. 

The  great  journey  was  ended,  and  Stanley,  after  paying 
off  the  living  and  the  relatives  of  the  dead,  at  last  started 
for  home.  As  he  was  about  to  enter  the  boat  that  was  to 
bear  him  to  the  ship,  the  brave  Uledi   and  the  chiefs 


604  TESTIMONIALS. 

shoved  it  from  shore,  ana  seizing  Stanley,  bore  Mm  through 
the  surf  on  their  shoulders.  And  when  the  latter  stood  on 
deck,  as  the  vessel  slowly  steamed  away,  the  last  object  he 
saw  on  shore  through  his  eyes,  filled  with  tears,  was  his 
Arab  friends  watching  him  till  he  should  disappear  from 
sight. 

An  enthusiastic  reception  awaited  him  in  England, 
while  from  every  part  of  the  continent  distinguished  honors 
were  bestowed  upon  him. 

He  had  performed  one  of  the  most  daring  marches  on 
record — traced  out,  foot  by  foot,  one  of  the  largest  lakes  of 
Central  Africa,  followed  the  mightiest  river,  which,  from 
the  creation,  has  been  wrapped  in  mystery,  from  its  source 
to  its  mouth,  and  made  a  new  map  of  the  ^^dark  conti- 
nent.^^ 


Among  the  testimonials  of  the  estimation  in  which  the 
great  work  he  had  accomplished  was  held,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  gift  of  the  portrait  of  King  Humbert  of  Italy, 
by  himself,  with  the  superscription : 

"ALL'  INTREPEDO  VIAGGATORE, 
ENRICO  STANLEY. 

UMBERTO  BE. 
TO  THE  INTREPID  TRAVELER, 
HENRY  STANLEY. 

KING  HUMBERT." 

The  Prince  of  Wales  also  complimented  him  warmly  on 
his  achievements,  while  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  conferred  on 
him  the  high  distinction  of  the  Grand  Commandership  of 
the  Order  of  Medjidie,  with  the  star  and  collar.  The 
Royal  Geographical  Society,  of  London,  gave  him  a  public 
reception,  and  made  him  Honorary  Corresponding  Mem- 
ber, and  the  Geographical  Societies  and  Chambers  of 


HONOKED   EVERYWHERE.  605 

Commerce,  of  Paris,  Italy  and  Marseilles  sent  him  medals. 
He  was  also  made  Honorary  Member  of  the  Geographical 
Societies  of  Antwerp,  Berlin,  Bordeaux,  Bremen,  Ham- 
burg, Lyons,  Marseilles,  Montpelier,  Vienna,  etc.,  etc. 
Honorary  membership  of  almost  every  distinguished  so- 
ciety in  England  and  on  the  continent  were  conferred  on 
him,  and  each  and  all  seemed  to  vie  with  each  other  in 
heaping  honors  on  the  most  intrepid  traveler  of  modern 
times.  Yet,  as  an  American,  it  gives  us  great  pleasure  to  ■ 
record  the  following  sentiment,  showing  that  Stanley  takes 
especial  pride  in  being  an  American.  He  says:  "For 
another  honor  I  have  to  express  my  thanks — one  which 
I  may  be  pardoned  for  regarding  as  more  precious  than 
all  the  rest.  The  Government  of  the  United  States  has 
crowned  my  success  with  its  official  approval,  and  the 
unanimous  vote  of  thanks  passed  in  both  houses  of  legisla- 
ture, has  made  me  proud  for  life  of  the  expedition  and  its 
success." 

Dinners  and  banquets  followed  wherever  he  went,  and 
he  yet  awaits  the  honor  his  own  country  will  confer  on 
him  when  he  once  more  shall  visit  it. 


SOUTHERN  np??S:  °'  CaHfomla 
405  HHgarS  Avenue '?^^'  '■'««ARV  fac/L/TV 


MMiM^i 


■y.4..;lH 


PlNIHHM^.'S?*'-  '-'BHARY  FACILITY 


A     000  633  456     9 


■^'■►-i.^ 


.,*;•>:,?■' 


